A life all it's own
by ericlover57
Summary: Journey into the lives of all the original CSI's and their new DNA analyzer. Post Viva Las Vegas. A little romance,an original character,some case files,and a LOT of Angst throughout. I tried to put something in to please all the CSI fans. GSR WIP
1. The new girl in the lab

Chapter 1: Part 1

Point of View: Tara Winters, narrative

The Beginning

* * *

"Tara Winters?", the man calls out. He has deep brown curls, _just_ graying at the temples. He has a scruffy beard, and he didn't seem like the socially-inclined type.

"Yes, that's me Mr., um..."

"Grissom, Miss Winters. No Mr., before it either. Just Grissom.", he says casually, "Now, I understand that you are interested in the position of DNA analyzer?"

"Yes, I am sir- I mean Grissom" I said warily. I know he can tell that I am nervous, I have been told that while most people wear their emotions on their sleeves, I wear mine in my eyes.

"Well, you are the only person who applied for the job, and you have a perfect application, so we are going to give you the job." he said happily. "Greg Sanders, the former DNA analyzer, will take you on a tour."

"Thank you Grissom.",I said as I thought _Wow, that was easy. I bet that doesn't happen often._

A young - and quite sexy I might add - man walked up behind me and I turned to look up at him. He was quite tall, about 5' 10" I assume, compared to my height of 5' 3". He sifted one hand through his spiky blonde-and-brown hair and shook my hand with the other.

"Greg Sanders, field worker", he says with a grin.

"Tara Winters, nervous.", I said as I regretted my dumb joke.

"That was almost as bad as some of my jokes!", he said with a chuckle as he gently elbowed me."Come with me, I'll show you around."

He told me about all of the employees and rooms, as if we were in a museum. It actually did look like a museum, though. Everything was behind glass, the people working like ants in an ant farm. I looked around, but it was a lot to take in all at once. He shows me around the DNA lab, and I felt like one of the ants. Busy, busy, busy little ants. I loved it here.

"So, what do you think?"

"Huh?", I said, slightly startled as I completely lost my train of thought.

"What do you think of the lab? Pretty overwhelming isn't it?"

"Yeah...", I sighed.

He pored over me scrutinally for a second, as if he were trying to X-ray my clothes or something. I gazed back at him uneasily.

"Do I have something in my teeth?", I asked half-joking.

"No ...you are just really prett- um pretty overdressed", he said hurriedly. And I knew what he was going to say, and he knew that I knew it too, because he blushed. "Um, let's move on.", he said nervously. I saw his reflection in the glass wall as he winced, obviously regretting his attempt to compliment me.

"You are pretty decent yourself" I said, not really the shy type when it comes to guys.

"What?", he replied, sounding genuinely lost.

* * *

_Maybe he wasn't trying to compliment me. Crap, now I made an idiot of myself_ , I thought. But again I saw his reflection in a glass wall as he smiled ear to ear. _Thank god for glass walls_.

* * *

He guided me all through this place, as I tried to make a mental map of this building. 


	2. Wishing

Chapter 1: Part 2

Point of View: Greg Sanders, Narrative

I saw her walk in the building and I thought she was a witness to Gil's kidnapping case he and I were working on. Warrick walked up to me and told me she was the new recruit for my old job. I remembered Chandra, and hoped this girl would last longer than that spastic chick. Warrick said that she was so much like me when he met her that it was almost scary. I thought he meant she was tall, blonde-brunette, and thin like me, but she definitely didn't look like me. Thank god. She was hot, but I had to get to know her first, otherwise I would be like, sued for sexual harassment or something. Never good. I made a really dumb move when I was taking her out of the lab and I said she was pretty. I was so surprised when she complimented me back. We finished the tour and then Grissom and I went out onto the field.


	3. Big News, Bigger plans

Chapter 1: part 2

Point of view: Catherine Willows Narrative

News

"Gil! Great news!" I said, jumping around, like a puppy waiting for a treat.

"What Catherine, I gave you the promotion to day shift Supervisor, what else are you going to do to butter me up?", Gil said groggily, as if I had woken him from a deep sleep.

"We are the number one CSI in the country!" I exclaimed.

"What? We are?", Gil asked, he sounded like someone had woken him up by dumping cold water on him.

"Yes, and you better not tell anyone, because I am planning a big 'thing'" I said shaking a finger at him jokingly.

"What kind of a 'thing'? Nothing embarrassing Cath." he said.

"No, I am planning a banquet for all the CSI's and lab tech's. It is going to be a formal banquet, tuxes, dresses, the works."

"Cath, where are you going to get the money?"

"My brother owns a banquet hall. You might have heard of it, it's called 'The Willow'. Because his last name is Willows, you know. And my daughter's friend's mom owns a catering company, and she'll cater the banquet for free as long as I carpool her daughter to camp with Lindsay, which is no trouble."

"Sounds like it might be fun."

"Oh, and here's a hint for ya, I recommend bringing a date. Do you know who Sara is bringing?" I said with a wink. Not the most subtle hint, but he got the point.

"Nice try Catherine, but we have been through this before. I'm her boss, I am older than her, and the press would have a field day if I promoted her. They'd say she slept her way to the top."

"Gris, the rules of office relationships have changed. Just go with her as a friend? It would make her day.", I pleaded.

"No... I mean, it's not like I don't want to, I don't want to!", he said a little too enthusiastically, "it's just that...", He stammered.

I gave him a look that sends visible chills up his spine, the same look I give the people I interrogate, a look that tells them that I know something they didn't want me to know, and I said,"You do want to, don't you Gil? You do like her. Maybe not as much as she likes you, but you are attracted to her aren't you? You would like to ask her, but you are afraid. You are afraid that she will hurt you. Or worse, that you will hurt her. Or maybe, you just don't want to risk losing one of your best CSI's. Am I right?"

Suddenly, Gaping 'how did you figure this all out' Grissom, turned into calm, cool, collected Grissom. He smoothly said,"Some of what you just said is true. I am slightly attracted to Sara, and I don't want to risk losing one of the best CSI's I have ever had. But, I am not afraid that anyone will get hurt, because I will never allow a relationship to develop."

"Wake up and smell the beetlejuice, Gil. It already has.", I said as I left.

In the glass wall I could see Grissom sitting with his mouth agape, not quite sure what to make of my last statement.


	4. Disater

Chapter 4 Point of View: 3rd person

Disaster Strikes...

* * *

About a month after Tara's first day here, She was sitting in the lab looking up a kind of liquid that was found at a crime scene. She was listening to loud music on her headphones as she surfed the web for information on this case. She sniffed the air casually, and thought she smelled a bit of smoke in the air, but the DNA lab always smelled a litlleunusual from all the tests being run constantly, so she went back to what she was doing.

A few seconds later she felt her eyes start to sting and tear up, and she knew she definitely smelled smoke in the lab.

She turned her chair around and saw a hugemass of smokepouringfrom the open unused fume hood on the lab counter. She panicked and froze for a second, trying desperatelyto remember where Greg tol her the emergency gas vent was, and when she finallygot up to leave the smoke had gotten into her lungs andshe was coughing to hard to yell for help. She slowly went temporarily blind from the smoke because it made her eyes tear up, so as she was trying to feel her way to the doorand get out before she passed out,shefell to her kneesgot there.

She started coughing and gasping and she lost too much oxygen to stand up. She reached around helplessly as she crawled across the slippery clean floor, but she was now getting very weak and wobbly.

She fell to the floor and she winced as she tried to see where the smoke was coming from so rapidly, but she had started to fade fast.

She collapsed, unconsious, waiting to be rescued.


	5. Help is on the way

Chapter 5

Point of View: Greg, Narrative

Help!

I was walking down the hall to give Tara a hair sample from Grissom's and my victim, and I saw the whole DNA lab filled with smoke. I scanned the image into my brain and saw a problem, the door was sealed shut with duct tape and a lock. Panicking for Tara's life, I thought of the quickest possible solution.

I broke the glass with my hand. Only later did I find out that I broke my finger and needed 24 stitches in different places on my hand, but at the time I was only focused on Tara, laying on the DNA lab floor, being dead.

I hurriedly checked her pulse by shoving my finger against her neck, like I had to do before we called the coroner, and her pulse was dangerously slow, and fading faster.

Grissom was coming down the hall investigating the source of the crash he had just heard when I broke through the glass, when he ran over to see what had happened. I screamed at him to call 911.

I tried to think of what to do, and I decided to roll her over. I gave her mouth to mouth to get oxygen into her and she opened her eyes.

"Greg, your here." She said hoarsely before she fell into another painful coughing fit. She still didn't have enough oxygen, actually she had less than before, because she used most of what she had up saying three short words. She fell unconscious again.

Part 2

Point of View: Narrative third person

Almost better...

"Tara, I am so sorry I didn't find you in time. I am sorry.", Greg said.

Tara was in the hospital and the whole CSI team was taking turns one at a time talking to her. The girls had tears in their eyes.

It was Sara's turn now.

"Tara? How are you feeling?" She asked.

"OK for a person who was almost killed."

"Tara, we don't know what happened, but we know it was a murder attempt. You couldn't see this, but the reason you couldn't get the door open was because someone had duct taped it shut and then locked it, witch would never had happened if it was an accidental lab problem. We will find them. Can you tell us anything that might help? Any one in the lab that was mad at you?"

"Hodges. He is the only one who has ever been mad at me here. He told me he was going to make me pay for being Grissom's favorite."

"What? Hodges thinks he is Grissom's favorite. I hate that guy, and so does everyone else, including Gil. He only responds to Grissom and he is such an ass kisser to him. Now, you get some rest."

"So what happened?" Grissom asked Sara when she left the hospital room.

"It was Hodges. He threatened her earlier that day. She was going to tell you after she found her evidence.", Sara replied.

"That doesn't mean he did it."

"He was the only one with a motive! How can you say he didn't do it?"

"I'll fingerprint the duct tape, and ask for an alibi now."

"Good."

Grissom walked over to the scene after he took a cab back from the hospital, and he looked around. He found nothing promising.

But then he looked closely at the sticky side of the tape. Something about these prints wasn't normal. There were clear prints on the tape, but with red dye in the grooves. He looked for anything suspiciously red in the lab and found just what he was looking for.

A used red smoke bomb, lying inside a jar in the open fume hood.

Grissom found Hodges in the break room.

"OK Hodges, I'll give you my full attention. Why did AFIS match your prints to the prints found on the smoke bomb and the duct tape in Tara's lab?"

"Huh?" he said as he looked around nervously." Um, Grissom, buddy, why would I do a thing like that?"

"First of all I am not your buddy. I am your boss, and you need to explain this, NOW."

"I, um, I... fine. You caught me.", he said with a creepy smirk,"I couldn't stand to have that 'Newbie' destroy something I worked so hard for. Favoritism.", he paused and threw his hands on the table as he stood up knocking his chair over. He screamed,"I was the best lab worker. I was your favorite. I knew that you thought she was better than me!"

"You are not my favorite at all. I hate you, and I can say that now that you have confessed to the premeditated attempt at murdering Tara Winters. You will be charged and later put into prison for 45 to life.", Grissom proudly said as he pulled a tape recorder out from under the table. "You are fired."


	6. A crush develops

Chapter 3: part 2

POV: Greg

A new friend

"Greg? Um, I got released from the hospital this morning, and I went over to my apartment, but I couldn't stays. It was about to be closed for repairs, and they only let me in to get my clothes and personal belongings. Everything else went into storage, which the apartment building owner paid for for all the tenants who needed it. I asked one of the workers there why, and apparently they are sending a HAZMAT team into the building. One of my neighbors was having recessed lighting installed, and they found asbestic in the walls, so they closed the building down for three months for total repairs so they could remove it.", Tara paused, "and, I need a place to stay, and I was wondering if - well I know you better than anyone else here, and-"

"Tara- I'd be glad to let you say at my place.", I said.

She left me with a huge smile and a hug thanks. I had been lost in thought just seconds earlier about her. _Why is it that I am so nervous around her? I am like, the least romantically challenged person in this building! She is the only chick that I haven't been able to ask out. I am losing my touch ... _I thought to myself.

"Greg, I need you to come help me with this case. The girl who was missing, was not the D.B. they found tied to a tree in the park. It was her identical twin. So, I am looking for a possible double homicide here, and I have no suspects. I am at a dead end, no pun intended there.", Catherine said,"Greg? Are you listening to me?"

"W-what? Huh? Oh sorry, I was, looking for my pencil.", My lame excuse was just that; lame. She didn't buy it for a second.

"You mean the one on behind your ear? And I thought Grissom was the absent-minded professor here. What's wrong with you today?"

"Nothing, it's just, I have other things on my mind."

POV: Narrator

Tara and Greg's shift had ended at the same time, so he gave her a ride home, because she took a cab home from the hospital.

"You like Marilyn Manson? I have his CD here.", Greg asked, eager to break the awkward silence in the car.

"No, 'It' freaks me out.", Tara replied.

"'It'?"

"Yes it! Any man that used to have breast implants is officially an 'it' to me.", Tara teased as she messed up Greg's hair.

"Hater.", Greg teased back. "And don't mess up the hair!" They both laughed and teased each other the rest of the way to Greg's apartment." We're here. Welcome to my humble home!"

They walked into his apartment, and Tara expected the worst."Wow. It's almost, normal!", she said sarcastically.

"Almost? My place rocks!", Greg said about his medium sized apartment.

It had a large bathroom, and a large living room/ kitchen area. It was very modern, with silver-colored fixtures, and fake black onyx granite countertops. The floor was dark mahogany hardwood floors, and white furniture. It was simple, and very modern. It was a little too neat for a guy's apartment, though.

"I always thought guys liked messes. And less 'elegant' furniture."

"Yea well, I grew up with five sisters, and no brothers, so I have always had a bit of a neat freak in me. As for the 'décor', my then-longtime girlfriend decorated. And I liked it, so I never redesigned it.", Greg paused, staring proudly at his apartment.

"Why don't I take you on the grand tour?"

"OK."

Greg showed her his kitchen, his living room, and his bathroom proudly. He paused in front of his bedroom, though."Aren't you going to show me the bedrooms?", Tara asked a little confused at Greg's sudden look of remorse. He look as if he had forgotten something important.

"Shit." he said, his face beet red.

"What?"

"I forgot, that I only have one bedroom.", he paused, waiting for her to yell at him. When she didn't, he continued."Ya see, normally when I have a girl over, it's never a problem, if you know what I mean."

"Don't get your hopes up. Or anything else up.", she said a little annoyed, but not a lot." Is your couch comfy?"

"Oh yeah, I've used that couch a million times."

"You know, I honestly _never_ want to find out how you used that couch. But it'll do.", she said with a fake pleasant tone in her voice." You know, you are very open abut your sexual experiences."

"Sure I am. I've got nothing to hide. You've been there, you know all there is to know too, right?" She didn't answer. She blushed and looked down.

"I am going to unpack, OK?"

"Yeah, OK.", Greg said. _Is she a - virgin?Wow. That didn't help me become any less attracted to her. Shit,_ He thought.He went back into his room to try to figure out his situation.

POV: Greg

"What am I going to do?" I thought out loud after waking up alone in my bed. "She isn't attracted to me." I heard music coming from the bathroom. I have a shower radio, but this wasn't the radio. It was Tara. _She's awesome, but if I tell her, it might embarrass her. But there is no way she could have forgotten I am here too, so she knows I can hear her, I'll compliment her later_, I thought as I went to make breakfast.

_"...lay all of your love on me..."_

I didn't know that song, but I had heard it before. I wish she had been singing it to me. I would gladly love her, if I didn't already. I jumped at the thought of me in love, I had never been in love, I always thought I was too young for that.

POV: Tara

I sang a few love songs to no one in particular. I knew Greg could hear me, though. I secretly hoped he would get the hint that I was singing about him, but I knew he wouldn't. And even if he did, I knew he wouldn't admit it. It was weird, to everyone else at work he was so confident about girls and sex, but around me, he was so different. It was almost as if he was nervous to be around me. I knew weird rumors had gone around about me after I came here, but I never thought Greg was dumb enough to believe that I 'was really Grissom's ex girlfriend', or 'I was in love with Sara'. I had never shown any feelings for Grissom that weren't strictly professional, nor have I ever shown signs of being lesbian. I was screwed.

"You sing awesome." _No, that's not right..._, Greg practiced, not knowing I was listening to him as I silently left the bathroom.

"Thanks.", I said with a blinding smile that I secretly hoped would attract him.

"Oh crap, I'm embarrassed.", Greg said while turning shades of red that I have yet to even see a tomato turn, which wasn't normal with Greg, even around me.

"Don't be, I practice saying things too. Like when I say, Greg, um ...", I stammered."About last night. When I mentioned you being open about sex, I, uh, never really meant for anyone to find out that I haven't ever, you know, done anything. I feel dumb, being 24, and being a, you know."

"I think it's sweet. You seem like the kind of girl that wants to make it special.", Greg said."I think its sexy when a girl is a virgin."

"I'm getting uncomfortable, can we change the subject?"

"Sure. Do you like French toast?"

"Yes,_ that'_s what I smelled! I love French toast."

"Good, I'll cook yours in a second, let me just finish stirring the batter."

"Homemade? Wow. I never knew you could cook!"

"My Gramma Rosita gave me the recipe. She used to tell me that it was a secret that anyone who ate this would fall in love with the person who made it. I never bought that, but..."

"How many of your girlfriends have you tried that line on?", I joked, basking in the thought of him flirting with me, even if it was a 'reflex' for him.

"You're good! You've been with a lot of guys before?"

"Not 'been with' in the same way you have, but yes, I have. I know your type, and yet I am still attracted to them. I can't explain it."

"Well, anyway, it's our day off, you wanna go catch a movie?"

"Are you asking me out?"

"Maybe, why are you interested?", he said as he grinned his cocky grin that I loved to be on the receiving end of.

"Maybe.", I mocked, though my head was screaming, _YES, god yes! I am!. _"-but I don't want to go out today. I am tired."

"So. We could watch one of my movies instead?"

"Greg, I am not watching porno with you.", even though the thought did turn me on, I wasn't about to let him in on my secret.

"Hey! You think that I don't own decent movies? How about The Matrix? Or, The Ring?"

"Matrix all the way. Scary movies are only good at night. Oh, that reminds me, Your couch, is really uncomfortable to sleep on. I'll sleep on my sleeping bag.", I lied. I really wanted him to ask me to sleep in his bed. I gladly would've accepted.

POV Greg

I sat down on the couch with Tara next to me, and I sat as close to her as I could, without her knowing I was trying to smell her hair. She watched the movie, and then she watched the other two in the Trilogy. I was watching her though, out of the corner f my eye. By the time the movies were done, it was late, we were drunk as hell, and she had fallen asleep on my lap. I was dying to let her sleep there, on me, but I knew I couldn't sleep in the clothes I had on.

I was careful not to wake her as I lifted her head and got up. I took off my shirt and my belt, and she was already in shorts and a tank top. She looked so sweet curled up on the couch, and I happily remembered what she said about it being uncomfortable, so I gently lifted her up, and carried her into my room. I laid her on my bed, while carefully pulling down the covers. I got into my bed carefully, so as not to wake her, and slept.

I woke up the next morning to find her still asleep and wrapped around me. My arms were wrapped around her back and her waist. I saw her move a little so I pretended to be asleep. When she woke up and looked around, she shook me and I pretended to have just woken up, but she bought it.

"Greg, what, w-what happened last night?", she paused as she rubbed her eyes and sat up, "Why am I here?"

I didn't know whether to tell her that I put her here, or play dumb. I picked the first one."I put you here last night because you passed out. And we didn't have sex or anything.", _not that I didn't think about it_, I thought as I was sitting there in bed next to her. "I didn't want you to sleep out there alone when you were drunk, in case you got sick."

"Greg, I, um I-"

Greg's CSI cell rang." Hold that thought, honey", I said to her as I winced. _Oh shit,_ I thought. _I called her honey. That was smooth Greggo._

"Did you just call me-"

"Sanders. OK I'll get dressed and be right over. Where am I? I'm in bed with Tara. Be right there. Bye.", he said into the phone.

"Greg, why did you call me honey?"

"I, um, I gotta go."


	7. Secrets revealed

Point of View: Narrative

"In bed with Tara? Greg, is there something going on here?", Grissom asked quizzically.

"Not what your thinking Gris, I slept with Tara. She was drunk, and she said the couch was uncomfortable-", Greg started to explain.

"Woah, too much information. Look, you know my opinion about employee relationships. You keep your personal life personal."

"Wait! I wasn't finished. She didn't want to sleep on the couch, so when she passed out during the movie we were watching last night, I carried her into my room and all we did was sleep. I did not have sex with Tara."

Catherine heard the last part of that conversation and walked into Gil's office."Wait a sec, who had sex with Tara?"

"Nobody. Ever actually.", Greg said.

"What is going on here?" Catherine asked Grissom and Greg.

"Look, I will tell you guys this if you swear on your lives to keep it secret- Catherine.", he said as he got up and shut the door to Grissom's office. Catherine glared at him as he started.

"I think I might be in l-l-, I can't do this. I love her. She doesn't love me back. I have never been nervous around girls ever. Just the thought that she might like me back is overwhelming. I love everything she says, the way she says it, and I can't do it! I can't be in love. I woke up next to her this morning and I thought I was still dreaming. I can't handle it."

Catherine was the first to speak after what seemed like an hour long pause. She looked over at Greg, who was sitting in a chair with his head bowed and his hands rubbing a hole in his temples.

"Well, it's about time! Greg, you go through girls like Grissom goes through evidence. Tell her what you just told us!"

Grissom looked like he was deep in thought. He was chewing on the end of his glasses like he does when he is plotting something.

"I am not a people person, so don't come to me for advice."

"Well I knew that. But she is staying at my apartment because they found asbestic in her apartment building. She will be there for three months. I will have a million chances, but I won't take them. Like you just said, I go through girls as if they were disposable. I am not good enough for her." Greg said.

"Greg, all I know is that you saved her life. You are her friend, and you are good enough for her.", Grissom said.

"Greg, if you want, I can find out if she likes you back. Believe it or not, I can be subtle.", Catherine said as she put her arm around Greg.

"Thanks Cath.", Greg replied." OK Gris, what did you need me for?"

POV, Greg.

_OK Greggo. You can do this. You can tell her. Do it now, or regret it forever. _"Tara? Can I talk to you?"

"Sure Greg. What is it?" She said to me, as she fixed dinner for both of us.

She turned and her long chestnut ringlets waved around. Her big green eyes were so hypnotic, that I did the last thing that I came up to her to do. I kissed her.

When I started to come over to her, she looked up at me, and I felt like she could see exactly what I was about to do, just by looking in my eyes. I put my arm around her waist and ran my fingers through her hair. I couldn't believe how delicious she smelled. I picked her up like a groom would carry his bride onto the threshold. I carried her to the couch and we laid there together. I never wanted to stop being near to her.

I could feel her breathe, I could feel her heart beating.

Mine was beating so fast I thought it would pound right out of my chest. Then I carried her into my bedroom and we just laid there. Kissing, until we fell asleep. We fell asleep together, and this time she had a say in it.

She and I slept until nine the next morning. I missed my shift last night, and my cell battery had died so no one could get a hold of me. I wanted to hold her, feel her now more than ever. I wanted to tell her what I was planning on telling her before, but I still couldn't.

I had to get out of there.


	8. Someone's hiding something

POV- Sara

"Gil? Are you in there?", I asked uselessly, as I already knew he was there. I leaned on the door frame to his office casually.

"Yes, come in Sara.", he said, not looking up from his work yet.

"Can I ask you something?", I asked, trying to hide the concern in my voice, but failing miserably.

"Yes", he said putting down the file he had been studying, "ask away." He said it flatly, but he smiled just at the corners of his lips.

"You want to go out for coffee? It's not a date, just, I need to talk to someone, and I feel closer to you than the counselor here.", I asked nervously. I really wished it was a date, but I couldn't begin to enjoy it with the news I had just received yesterday still fresh in my mind.

He sighed and looked at me. He took off his glasses and tilted his head at me ever so slightly. "I don't, I think,", he sighed again as if to say 'please take back your question now' but surprised me noticeably when he actually said,"Yes."

"Shifts over now, so, you wanna go anywhere in particular?", I said with a fake smile. _I should be happy, he cares about what I am going to say._

"How about my place? It will feel less like a date to me then.", he said to me, knowing that I would agree to go wherever he wanted to.

"OK, lets get going.", I said, anxious to get this all over with.


	9. Whats going on here?

POV Grissom

"So what did you need to talk to me about?", I said as we walked into my townhouse uncomfortably. I closed the door and sat down on the chair, as she was already sitting on my couch.

"Well, I need to leave the lab for a bit. I have some,", she paused, trying to find the right words, "personal matters to deal with.", she said, sounding a little guilty as she said it.

"How 'little of a bit'? If you want to go on vacation, do it. God knows you've earned it.", I said matter-of-factly.

"I need to leave for seven months.", she said quickly, forcing the words out of her tense mouth. She looked at the floor as she said it, not wanting to see my reaction to this sudden request.

"Is there something wrong with you?", I said, realizing that was the least sensitive way to approach the subject

. _Leave it to me to mess up a simple question._ I replaced it carefully with, "Are you all right?"

"Yes. Everything's fine.", she said with an obviously forced smile as she looked up at me once again.

"Sara, you can tell me anything."

"I know.", she said as she looked down at the faded carpet. "I am fine. Nothing else to be said!", she added sharply, raising her voice unnecessarily.

"Sara, I care about what's going on. And, I can't just give you a paid leave for seven months, I have to approve it. And I can only do that if you tell me what's wrong!"

She started to cry and she crossed her arms over her abdomen, looking like she wanted to curl up and disappear. I had hurt her feelings. I felt horrible.

"I can't tell you. I-I just c-can't", her voice started to quiver. She was trying to hide something.

"You can trust me. I promise"

She looked around his living room, checking to see if any invisible people were secretly listening to her conversation. She opened her mouth to speak.


	10. I'm sick

POV Grissom

"Grissom, I-I'm s-sick." Sara said. She was so upset she was visibly shaking. I wanted to help, but I didn't know how.

"What are you sick with, Sara?", I said, really starting to worry about her.

Sara was a strong person, who wouldn't admit she was sick unless it was life-threatening, or nearly. She started to cry harder on my hard, gray and brown couch. I came over to sit next to her and I gave her my full attention.

"I have kidney cancer."

It took a few seconds for those words to register in my brain. Sara? Cancer? And why would she not want to tell me about it?

"I am going to start Chemotherapy in three weeks. I came to talk to you so you could let me take a seven-month 'break'. I need you to cover for me. If I am going to admit that I am weak than I don't want anyone to know. I am only telling you this now because I trust you.", she said to me as she wrung her hands, obviously her eyes were burning with more tears.

"Griss, I-I'm scared."

"Sara, I don't know what to say. I feel like I should be helping you, I _want_ to be helping you. You can admit to the fact that you don't have any family, and nobody, no matter how strong they are, even you, could never do this alone. If I can't find someone to help support you, I will.", I said.

Now realizing how much I had made it sound like I wanted to 'be with her' romantically, I began to think. Did I want to be with Sara? _Not now Griss. Focus. This woman needs a friend right now. Be that friend. _

"I want you to stay at my place for awhile. You are going to spend the night, also. I don't think anyone should be alone at a time like this. You can go back to your apartment and get your stuff, but I don't feel right just sending you off, when I am the only one who is aware of your condition. That way, if you get scared, or need to talk, I can help. You wanna go now? I have to run some errands now anyway."

"Yes.", she agreed quietly, amazingly without a fight."Hey Grissom, thanks." She wiped her eyes and she left with that. As soon as I was sure she was gone, I ran out to the store.


	11. I'm always overtalking around you

POV Grissom

_Perfect._

I looked with pride at the guest room I had prepared for Sara. I wanted her to be comfortable, but I do admit I am going a tad bit overboard.

I had gotten new sheets for the guest bed to make it look a little more inviting. The walls were still pale green from the previous tenant of my large apartment, and I decided that crisp, sage colored sheets with a dragonfly pattern would match well for a woman to sleep in. I got all of my butterfly and moth and dragonfly shadowboxes out and hung them on the wall. I wheeled my old TV out of the closet and hooked it up, which wasn't hard, because the last person who lived here already had a cable run through the walls into this room.

I left Sara's new room, and I filled the fridge with all the food I bought for her. Lots of fruit, lots of vegetables, and a ton of soy meats and things.

I straightened everything up, and vacuumed the whole place.

I went into Sara's room again and cleaned out the closet, which I had been using for storage. I moved all that into the hall closet.

I went into the bathroom and cleaned out the shower and sink. Nothing to put in there, I had nothing to hide, just some soap, generic shampoo, toothbrush and toothpaste. I restocked the medicine cabinet with Ibuprofen and extra toothpaste.

I got fabric softener and dryer sheets from the store also, and put them in my laundry room.

I moved some lamps around to brighten the whole place up a bit also, because my place was always dim.

"Surprise!", I said only slightly enthusiastically when Sara came through the front door. " I cleaned and straightened up the whole place for your stay."

"Wow.", said Sara appreciatively."You did too much already!"

"Then you'll hate this", I said showing her the door to her new room." This is where you will be sleeping. I put all my 'pretty' bugs in here for you. That way you won't have to wake up with the tarantulas. The fish tank was already in here, though. This door is your closet, and this door is the bathroom."

"Gil! You are going to spoil me aren't you?", she said, obviously happy with the room. She stared at me with genuine thankfulness.

"Yes. And I stocked the fridge with plenty of healthy foods for you. You are going to be as healthy as possible, recovering from this."

"Wow. I appreciate this all so much, Gil. You're a real friend. I am going to unpack, you wanna eat something afterwards though? I'm hungry."

"Yes. You unpack, I am going to make you a surprise meal. And don't worry, no meat." I said to her with a grin. _Friend. That's perfect. She isn't thinking of me as her boss right now._

After about an hour of cooking and unpacking, Sara and I sat down to a meal of meat-free stir-fry and fruit salad for dessert.

She was quiet throughout dinner, but being inept in the art of emotions, I couldn't figure out why. She wasn't frowning, angry or sad, she just looked deep in thought.

I said, "If I did something, I am sorry. I know this might seem weird, me being your boss, but I worry about all my CSI's. You are the only family I have, and you all really do feel like family."

"No, it's not that. I just thought that you meant something by it.", she said to me, pushing the food on her plate around as she stared at it, mesmerized.

"By what?"

"Asking me to stay at your place. I thought it meant, I don't know.", she said, as if she regretted even bringing it up.

"Oh, I'm sorry if I led you on to think I felt, I don't really know. Obligated, I guess, I wanted to be sure that when I went to sleep at night, I could be sure that you were safe. I needed to be sure of that."

"Oh. I'm sorry I mentioned it. Again, I am over-talking around you."


	12. The first nights are always the hardest

Thank you all for reading! I would really like you to review and tell me what you think so far, and what you would like to see happen next. Your opinion matters to me ALOT. Also, one author wo gave me the idea for Sara's illness, you know who you are. I thought your idea was brilliant, so I hed to use a similar concept in my story. Everyone else, I highly reccomend the story 'Leave of absence' by Wiccagirl24. That was an amazing story.

Kara

* * *

POV Sara 

First night

"Thank you Grissom. You didn't have to take off this week for me, though. I feel okay right now.", I said, not really meaning my words. "I love everything you've done. I feel like a burden, though."

"No. Don't you even start with that. I have to help. You are physically and mentally unable to do this alone, you know that as well as I do.", he said to me as we sat together on his couch.

We watched the discovery channel until the wee hours of the night, though I wasn't _really_ watching it. I was thinking about him.

I fell asleep in the guest room that night, wishing I was with him. I wished I could snuggle up against his warm body, press myself close enough to feel his heart beating, to take in his warmth, and he would take all the nightmares that plagued me during the day away. I felt so peaceful, so tranquil, in his house. It just had this atmosphere that I loved.

POV: Grissom

Sara.

I thought about her all night.

I did mean something by helping her out, but I was just afraid to let anything happen. I had spent so long trying to prevent a relationship, the fact that one might begin scared me. It was just a reflex almost to push her away when she got to close.

I wished she would wake up from a bad dream, and come to me to make it better.

She still had feelings for me, but I knew she would be wary about letting me know that. I had scared her away at dinner.

_I wish I had some skill in letting people see my emotions._

BR>


	13. Busted!

Point of View Greg

"Got evidence?", Catherine joked as she glanced over the mountainous piles of bags spread out on the evidence table. There had to be hundreds of things in that room with some form of DNA on it.

"Yah. Just a bit.", I snapped,"We got, hmm, 4 condoms, 8 beer bottles, 1 knife, 3 lollipops, about a bajillion different fingerprints, a cooler filled with blood, and a 'partridge in a pear tree'", I joked, singing the last part.

"What the hell happened last night?", Catherine asked.

"I have no idea, but Tara's gonna be clocking some overtime _tonight._"

I rummaged though the mountain, trying to decide how to bring this stuff to her. I had an idea, maybe not the best one, but still.

"Um, Greg?", Catherine said to me as she saw me pulling on a garbage bag like a sled down the hall with all this evidence on it.

"Yeah?", I said, a little out of breath, this stuff was heavy.

"What in hell are you trying to do?"

" I'm bringing the evidence to Tara."

"Okay, if _that's_ what you want to call that. But you know, we do have carts for the big stuff. But hey, don't let me spoil your, um, fun."

I heaved the mountain into Tara's lab, and she stared at me like I was insane.

"What, um, _what_?"

"What are you talking about? I need you to process this evidence."

"You want me to process _that_?"

"Yah."

"O-_kay_. Oh, and Greg, before you go, what-", she paused to laugh,"-is _this_?"

She held up my collection of porno that I kept in the lab. I forgot to take it out of there when she replaced me.

"Mine. I like porn.", I said with my usual smirk."Gimme!"

"Ah-ah-ah!", she teased." I have to show Catherine this. This is hilarious."

I tried to catch her as she darted out of the lab with my magazines shouting for Catherine to come see what she had found. She outran me barely as she caught up with Catherine.

"Look at what I found!", she teased as her hand shot up to proudly show Catherine her findings."Greggo's private 'stash'."

Catherine walked over as I fought to grab the magazines out of Tara's hands, but no luck.

"Ha-ha, is that really his, what am I saying, of course this is _Greg'_s, who else would have this? This is good, Tara. Nick, War, you gotta see what Tara found!"

"Aw, come on!", I begged, not embarrassed, but not wanting the guys to _steal_ any.

Nick and Warrick came over, and looked at Tara's prize. "Dude, that's sweet", Nick laughed, "Lemme see."

"Nice, man", Warrick replied."Those yours T?", he joked.

"Nope, they're Greggo's. I found them in the _lab_. In the drawer."

Everyone stopped talking abruptly when Grissom came over. I grabbed the magazines that Tara was now hiding behind her back.

We all smiled guiltily and I guess he decided he really didn't _want_ to know, so he walked away, probably thinking we were all insane.


	14. Effects of cancer

Point of View - Grissom

* * *

I got in my car again to go home.

_I don't think I have ever left on time this many days in a row before... _

I didn't like leaving Sara alone, because I worried.

She had an appointment today, not me. It was her first chemo treatment this afternoon at 12:00, and I was going with her, of course. I had to drive her, because she would be weak and nauseous. I got home right at 11:45 and it took fifteen minutes to get to Desert Palms Hospital.

She knew I would be cutting it close time-wise, so we arranged for her to wait for me at the curb.

We didn't talk on the way, because we both didn't know what to say.

She and I found the receptionist as soon as we got into the building and told her why we were here. Sara had already filled out the many insurance forms for herself weeks ago, so we just went right up to the room the nurse told us to go in and the doctor was already there waiting for her. I held her shaky, thin hand as they laid her down and sterilized her forearm as they put the IV tube in.

She was obviously in pain as the toxic chemicals were poured rapidly into her already weak and frail frame.

They said her hair would be intact for the first five or six treatments, but after that she would probably lose most -if not all- of it.

She laid there being treated for one and a half hours of chemotherapy before they said she could go as they removed the IV. She had me pull over a few times for her to be sick on the way to my house.

When we got to the parking area of my neighborhood, I carried her into my townhouse and laid her down carefully on the bed I had set up for her. I tucked her in and she had already fallen asleep.

I prepared a fruit salad for her, along with some ice cold milk. I brought her some painkillers, and kept them by the bedside. I had brought her medicine for nausea and left it on the tray I had put the fruit salad, the milk, and the TV remote on.

I put the tray on her bedside table with a note so she would see it when she woke up.

* * *

Point of View -Sara

* * *

I woke up slowly.

I had no idea why I was still sore from chemotherapy, but I didn't care. I saw a short letter on the bedside table along with a meal and some medicine. The letter read:

* * *

_ Sara,_

_ I wanted to tell you that, I am no longer afraid to tell you that I am attracted to you now. I saw you so weak, so hurt, and it hurt me to see you in that kind of pain. I had to leave to get some air, but I will be back before you know it. I wanted to take you out for dinner tonight, but you aren't well enough, so we are going to have dinner in bed. I am going to pick up a good movie while I am out also._

_ -Gil-_

* * *

I was in tears. I cried even more when I looked up to see Grissom standing in my doorway. He sat down next to me and hugged me until I stopped crying. He smelled so enchanting that I couldn't stand to let him go. The smell wasn't cologne, laundry detergent, or anything like that, it was just 'Grissom'.

I looked up into his deep, hypnotic eyes that I have grown to know and love so strongly and he kissed my forehead so lightly, it was almost a flutter.

_He is here, and I'm safe_.

And yet I never imagined that I would be here, frail from deadly cancer, being comforted by Grissom in his own home.

I sat quietly and he let me go, but he still stayed next to me and he turned on the news while I ate my fruit salad. I wanted to kiss him for being so sweet, but I resisted the urge.

My heart skipped a beat when he reached over and wiped away my remaining tears with his thumb. I reached for is hand and kissed his fingers comfortingly.

We sat there, still, just looking into each other's eyes, sure that the other one could read their every thought. And I couldn't fight the growing urge burning a hole inside of me any longer.

I closed my eyes and moved forward until our lips brushed together in an act not of lust, but of pure friendship. I savored the soft smell of his breath, the taste of his lips, the feel of my skin against his. He wrapped his hands around me, and stopped kissing me.

He put two fingers up to my lips and got up, as I expected him to walk out. But he turned towards me and reached out. His strong arms lifted me off my bed effortlessly, and he moved me onto the couch. He turned on the TV for me to watch, and he went in the kitchen to fix dinner for us.

* * *

Point of View: Grissom

* * *

_Sara and I just kissed. _The thought of what just happened reoccurred in my head so many times, and it still didn't feel real.

Even though it wasn't a romantic act, the thought of us being close friends was enough to make me happy.

I fixed up some spaghetti and garlic bread, but I couldn't focus on that any more than necessary. I looked at her. Her deep brown eyes looked away from the TV for a moment to direct their gaze at me, with a gleam of fear in them. I couldn't stand it.

I went back into the part of the kitchen where she couldn't see me, and I let out all my feelings I tried to ignore, hoping that my intolerance for emotion would make them disappear, but it couldn't. I cried for her life. I couldn't deny the facts that she had informed me of just days ago. _Sara had cancer. Kidney cancer. She might need a transplant. She might die..._

I had to shake my head to get rid of that horrible thought. She came into the kitchen to see where I had gone, and she saw me.

Red-eyes and wet cheeks. She came up to me and wiped my cheeks dry with her soft, thin fingers.

"Oh god, Gil, what happened?", she said softly, almost too soft to hear.

"I just can't stand to see you so weak and frail. It shook me to see you like this. I , I-", I said as I sighed and bowed my head down, angry that I let anyone see me that emotionally distraught.

I hated myself for letting it get to that point that I needed to cry.

_I am supposed to be the person who never let emotions get in the way, even though that hurt the people around me. I never let people see how I felt, afraid that it would make them think I couldn't handle things_.

She hugged me and she whispered in my ear that it was all going to be okay. I didn't believe her.

* * *

Point of View - Sara

* * *

"Gil? Why me?", I asked him as we sat on his couch after I finished taking a nap. I was full from dinner, and I was tired, so I slept as he sat on the chair, thinking.

He took a deep breath, turned to me and said, "I don't know Sara. We are scientists, but even a scientist can't prove why bad things happen to good people. I just know that I am not leaving you during this whole process. I will never let anything bad happen to you anymore, Sara. You don't deserve this."

He seemed to have aged so much in the past few weeks. He looked to old to be 34.

However, I had become thinner and more frail. My skin has become ghostly haggard, and my ribs are protruding out no matter how much food I eat. I was waning away.

We decided that every day we would do something special , because as horrible a thought it was, I might not _be_ here tomorrow. He wanted to make _all_ my moments count.

I could tell he was having a hard time not telling people about my cancer as it progressed, though. So, we made a deal. If any emergency happened, he could tell the other CSI's. I knew that made him feel a tiny bit better, which made me feel a tiny bit better.

* * *

The sun had started to set, and Gil decided to take me for a walk.

I marveled at the beauty of him and I walking, holding hands in the sunset.

I started to well up and tears came to my eyes.

We paused to sit on a bench nearby to the path we were on, and he sat me down next to him. I looked at his eyes, seeing the reflection of the setting sun in the distance. We kissed again, only this time it wasn't a friendly kiss, it was a romantic kiss.

He kissed me in a way I had only dreamed about.

But I couldn't relish in that moment quite yet.

* * *


	15. More secrets, more problems

Point of View - Narrator

* * *

"Sara? Sara!", he screamed as she went limp in his arms.

She was unconscious.

He panicked as he tried to dial 911 into his cell. He nimbly jumped into the back of the ambulance as they took Sara away.

He couldn't actually take in all that had just happened. His head was somewhere else.

* * *

They arrived at Desert Palms Hospital and they took Sara back into the Emergency Room.

Gil treaded back and forth until he could've practically bored a hole in his path way. He remembered to call the CSI's. He told them everything, and they promised not to harass him about keeping it a secret until this crisis was over. He was in hell waiting for someone to tell him something about Sara.

The CSI's arrived all in one, big, panicked mob.

Greg, Catherine, Nick, Warrick, Brass, and even Dr Robbins,all took turns talking to Grissom, trying to comfort him, as they took turns comforting each other with the news they had all just been informed of today still fresh.

Greg had beenrambling to Grissom about 'Papa Olaf' again, telling him another one of the 'great' things he did when Greg was young.

Greg was Norwegian, but he only lived there until he was ten.

After that, he told Grissom his life story, but Grissom didn't have the strength to shut him up.

Greg was also driving everyone insane as he snapped his gum over and over, until Warrick came over and forced him to spit it out.

"I can't help it, I hate silence.", he said innocently. "I think we should do something to pass the time. I know! How about I spy!", he said in a hyper voice, as everyone silently wondered if he had had a little too much caffeine.

Nick replied with a, "I spy a level 1 CSI who won't get to see his 26th birthday, if he doesn't shut up and sit down."

Greg agreed, but he looked like a little kid who didn't get his way.

* * *

Grissom couldn't seem to hold back tears any longer, as hard as he tried, and he couldn't swallow because of the lump in the back of his throat. He bowed his head down and he felt great comfort from the gentle caress of Catherine's small hand on his weary shoulders.

Finally, a doctor wandered out of the OR, still in his scrubs, and called out, "Mr. Grissom? I have news for you about Miss Sidle."

"Where is she?", he frantically yelled at the doctor as he stood up too quickly, causing him to clumsily lumber over.

"She is in the OR right now, and she is being prepped for surgery.", the doctor replied calmly.

"Surgery? Why is she getting surgery?", Catherine asked when she saw Grissom with his mouth slightly open, not saying anything.

"I am afraid she has suffered a tear in the weak cancerous tissue in her right kidney, causing harmful bacteria to leak into her system. She _is_ stable, but the tear is going to cause internal bleeding soon if we don't operate now. It is completely necessary to operate ASAP. She is going to need that kidney completely removed, but because the other kidney is more than healthy, she will _not_ need a transplant. As long as the toxins that were released into her bloodstream don't affect her ability to heal, she will be fine in a few days."

"When can I see her?", Grissom demanded, almost in tears.

"The surgery she is about to receive will take about an hour to complete. She won't be conscious yet, but you may stay with her in post-op."

Everyone hugged each other, each person filled with fear about the news they have just received. Half of the CSI's were only now beginning to soak in the fact that their co-worker and best friend was sick with cancer, much less that she was in surgery. Catherine hugged Grissom tightly, and she forced him to eat something so he could stay.

All the CSI's left for the cafeteria, letting Grissom be alone to think. They all knew that he hated showing emotion around people, so they let him have a time to vent


	16. More news

Hi everyone, again. I am not sure about what you all want to see happen next, so write me some reviews. I hope you like my little dramatic twist here!

* * *

Point of View - Grissom

* * *

"Sara, can you hear me? It's Gil. I am sorry. About everything. I can't help but feel guilty for what is happening. I know neither of us could've stopped it, but I can't help but wonder.", I said to the nearly lifeless angel that lay before me now.

I couldn't believe that this skeletal, ghostly white silhouette is what has become of Sara. Her long brown tresses lay around her like a delicate frame, as I brushed one out-of-place wisp away from her cheek.

Her eyelids flitted ever so slightly when I touched her. I let one tear spill slowly down my cheek, but then I sniffed and held the rest in.

"I want to be strong for you now Sara. I can't fail you now, like I have done many times before. Not now, not when you're so vulnerable. I am going to take care of you, Sara. But I need you to be strong for _me_, too. You don't know how lost I would be without you, Sara. You can't imagine how empty my days would be, without you there to bring life. I can't imagine life, without _you_."

I pulled the chair in the room left for visitors right up next to her bed, and I sat down next to her, holding her hand in mine.

I held her hand tighter, almost trying to give her my body's strength to get better.

I wished that were possible, me, giving her my energy and strength for her to pull out of this...

* * *

"Mr. Grissom?", a voice said to me in my dream, "Mr. Grissom?"

* * *

"What?", I said as soon as I realized I was asleep. I looked up to see who that voice belonged to.

"Mr. Grissom, sir, We regret to inform you that because of Sara's weak condition, the toxins release into her caused her to fall into a coma during the night. Her brain waves are active, but, we can only wait for her to come to on her own. I am very sorry.", he said to me. I really only heard a few pieces of what he was telling me.

_Coma. _

_Sara's condition. _

_Can only wait...

* * *

_

**To be continued...**


	17. More News Part 2

My next part will feature Tara and Greg I think, just so you don't get bored with me focusing on a few characters for too long.

* * *

Point of View - Catherine

* * *

"Coma? Sara? But, you said she would be fine?", I said to the doctor when he told me the news.

I had just come to the hospital yesterday to find out that Sara had cancer.

Then they told me she was in surgery.

And now a coma?

The tears poured out. I was alone in that stark white waiting room, and Grissom was in Sara's room, probably crying too.

It was hard enough to picture Sara with cancer, but it was even harder to take in the image that lay before me now. I walked into Sara's room to talk to her, and I found Gil, sitting in a chair next to her, crying like an infant. He looked so lost, but there was nothng I could do to comfort him. I needed to help, but I didn't know how.

I didn't know what to say. I felt the same way, but coming from a man who never let anyone in on anything, whether he was hurting or happy, was a shock in and of itself. I didn't know how to comfort him right now, and I felt so helpless.

I don't even know if he was aware that I was in the room. He was having the hardest time out of all of us, he had seen her deteriorate, he had seen her a her worst, and now, her worst seemed like a dream come true.

_He loves her. I know he does, I saw it in his eyes the minute he saw her in our lab. I saw him hurt everytime he rejected her. He thought he was trying to protect her. But I saw that puppy dog stare in his eyes every time she showed any pain. And now... he thinks he has runout of chances to be with her. He thinks he failed her, and it's all over for her, for them. But it's not. It isn't over for Sara, she is too strong to give up that easily. She is going to pull through. She is going to wake up, and he is going to tell her how he feels. She will accept it, and they will be together, just like they both have always wanted..._

* * *

Point of View - Grissom

* * *

_ Sara, can you hear me? I am sorry. I never wanted to hurt you. I was trying to protect you, but from what, I don't know. I don't deserve another chance, but I got one. I hope I don't screw it up like all the others, Sara. But I can't help you now, Sara. I am helpless right now..._


	18. Just do it

I am sorry for the 'abrupt-ness' of this chapter, but I wanted to clu everyone in on what had been going on in the lives of theother CSI couple before Sara was in the hospital.

* * *

_Before they found out about Sara, Greg and Tara had been taking their relationship further and further. To take things back in time a little bit, this is a tidbit of what happened while Sara was in Chemo._

* * *

Point of View - Tara

* * *

"Greg, I was going to tell you this the other day before your cellphone rang, but I- I-", I paused. I had played this moment over and over in my head, planning exactlywhat I was going to say, and how I was going tosay it. But now, the words would barely come to me.Si I just did it, beforeI even had time to think about what I had in fact, just done.

"Ithink I _love_ you.", I said as I bit my lower lip anxiously, nervously awaiting an answer from him.

I couldn't Believe I just told him what I had kept bottled up inside of me for so long. I hadn't been able to say it, but this time it practically jumped out of my mouth.

I wished he would say something instead of staring ate me in awe with those big puppy-dog eyes.

I wished he would break the silence I was beginning to hate so passionately.

He opened his mouth finally and spoke words I had been dying to hear for so long.

"I _know_ I love you. I have never been in love. I have never been so happy just to sleep _next_ to someone. I have never felt the need to hold a girl, just so she can be near you, so you can be near her. I like that feeling. I like it a _lot_."

* * *

Point of View, Greg

* * *

"I love you", I told Tara as we ate the dinner that I cooked for her and me.

"_I_ love your cooking. And you're a nice bonus! I feel like something's wrong though, and I can't put my finger on it. You know?", Tara replied to me jokingly but with a glint of concern in her voice.

We sat on the couch lip locked for a few moments, and then we laid down.

I stared into her eyes as we talked, taking in all the emotion they showed me. I love her so much, but I felt like we needed to get away, just us. I wanted time to get closer to her. I wanted to be with her forever. We needed a vacation, but I couldn't leave Grissom. He needed me there because he was already short one CSI. I sighed.

I thought of Sara a lot lately.

I worried about her every night because she hadn't told us where she was. I snuggled closer to Tara and we talked for awhile.

* * *


	19. Its over?

Point of View - Tara

* * *

I blew out the candles that were almost completely burnt down. Greg and I had gone back to work, as there wasn't anything left for us to do while Sara was in a coma.

* * *

_How could he forget? I reminded him before shift. He said he'd drive home on his own after he wrapped up the last tidbit he had found, and that was five hours ago. I'm not worried, but I can't stand the thought that he picked his stupid job over me. _

_I was going to propose to him tonight...

* * *

_

I felt like he had betrayed me.

I threw away all the flowers, the burnt-out candles, and the ring.

I looked at the apartment, where I had just had 35 red roses and 35 white roses scattered around. It's a little known fact, but I had a degree in botany and a sincere love of plants. I also knew that red roses were a symbol for love, pink roses were a symbol for a crush, yellow roses were a symbol for friendship, and white roses were a symbol for family.

After tonight, we would've been on our way to being a family. I also saw the red and white petals in the trash. The same petals that I had laid in a trail leading up to the living room. I saw the burnt down burgundy and ivory candles in the trash too. And finally, I saw the platinum wedding band I had bought for him.

I told him that I had something amazing planned for tonight, and he had to get home right away. He promised he would.

I packed my things up as I glanced around the apartment, careful not to leave any trace of me left. I made sure that I wouldn't tell anyone at work which apartment building I was staying at, or rumors would fly, and he'd find me.

I looked at the calendar, remembering that today was the last day I was supposed to stay with him. My apartment was open again, but yesterday I sold it. I sold it because I figured I wouldn't need it anymore.

I figured we would live together, happy.

I slammed the car door furiously as I drove off to the apartment that I had bought just minutes earlier over the phone.

* * *

I walked into my new place and sighed. It was too empty. It only had a few pieces of my old furniture in it. I looked around it again.

I took a seat on the window seat and looked around at the night sky, wondering if Greg was worried about me.

Only then, when I was alone, did I start to cry. I wanted him to hold me, make it all better, tell me that work didn't matter. All I heard was the occasional car rolling by on the wet pavement, and pouring rain. It was picture-perfect.

Me, sitting on a window ledge at night, while I looked at the water run down the window pane. I could hear the sad love songs forming melodies in my head as I thought of him, alone, looking through his windows at the rain.

* * *

''Gimme Gimme Gimme a man after midnight,

Won't somebody help me chase the shadows away,

Gimme Gimme Gimme a man after midnight,

Take me through the darkness till the break of the day...''

* * *


	20. What happened here?

* * *

Point of View - Catherine

* * *

I knew something was wrong the minute I saw Tara walk through the door into the breakroom.

She had a long sleeved jacket on, a turtle neck, long pants, and A LOT of make-up, considering the temperature outside was 97 degrees. I decided not to approach her directly about this, as I was aware that Tara was still angry about what happened yesterday in the lab.

Nick came to me with the story of yesterday earlier.

* * *

Tara had walked out on Greg, and she gave him no _obvious_ hint as to why she left, or where she was living now. Greg needed to talk to her and she didn't want to talk. Greg tried to ask what was wrong, but she screamed at him to either give her something to analyze, or leave. He didn't leave, so she just screamed at him louder to get out. Nick overheard and saw her shove Greg out the door to her lab when he still didn't leave. Greg walked away and went to ask Nick for some help, but there was nothing Nick could do to help.

* * *

I knew that _that_ wasn't the reason for Tara's sudden change of fashion, but I also knew she wasn't going to tell me.

I decided to do a little snooping of my own...

I told Grissom that I wasn't able to go out in the field today, and told him that I was working on a more 'personal' case.

He didn't ask, because he knew quite well that that was all the information I was going to give him.

I followed Tara around the lab all shift, and wrote down everything she did, and everywhere she went. I realized that the lab is one of the best places in the world to eavesdrop and spy, as it is filled with millions of hiding places.

I looked over my notes at the end of my shift, and I tried to draw a conclusion from this:

* * *

_Tara walks into Break room, she is unusually well-covered. _**(suspicious, but useless...)**

_She spoke all day with a raspy voice, similar to victims we see with throat injuries. _**(she was choked? Or maybe she just got hit in the throat be something, or someone...)**

_Tara walks into locker room, takes of jacket, revealing large bruises on her arms and shoulders, though primarily around her wrists. _**(defensive wounds perhaps? Unlikely still...)**

_Tara leaves locker room in lab coat. _**(she definitely doesn't want people to see her injuries...)**

_Tara goes into restroom and examines her face in mirror. She washes all her make-up off, as it is too itchy. She uncovers a black eye, and recovers it with more natural looking make-up. _**(she is hiding something important. She probable has a broken nose...)**

_Tara leans over to get a pen she dropped, and is not able to bend all the way down because of an unknown injury to her stomach area and knee. She goes into restroom again to examine her wounds and reveals (1)an obviously broken rib with a seemingly infected gash below it, and (2) swollen, bloody gashes all up her shinbone. _**(this is really big, she needs to go to the emergency room.)

* * *

**

I then made a list of all the possible reasons I thought Tara would come into work with wounds that required serious medical attention.

(1) She has been in an accident of some kind and doesn't have enough insurance to cover her bad wounds.

(2) She has been in a fight/accident with a loved one, who will be charged with assault if she seeks medical attention.

Those were all the possibilities could think of, and I realized that I needed help if I was going to solve this puzzle unfolding before me.

"Grissom! Grissom, can we talk?", I said, jogging into his office. It was after shift, and everyone had left except for us, as usual.

"Do I have a choice?", he replied.

"No. Gil, I was worried about Tara this morning. She was dressed very strangely and was acting equally strange. So, I followed her around today, secretly, trying to draw clues form her as best as I could.", I said to him sitting down in the ugly chairs in front of his ugly desk.

I handed him my notes of what I saw today, and I watched his expression as he read my horrific notes.

He looked at me, mouth slightly agape, as he said, " And she _worked_ in that condition? Why didn't she go to the hospital?"

I nodded at him and handed him my two possible reasons.

"I need you to talk to her Catherine. Talk to her and then call an ambulance, and force her onto it, if you have to."

"I would, but after she left Greg, she hasn't told anyone where she went."

"Except me. She has to tell me, because I need to know how to contact her in case I need her to come into work.", he said to me as I scratched down the address he read out to me on my notepad.

"Got it. I'll call you when she's at the hospital."

* * *

I stormed up to her doorway and knocked on the door so loud it echoed through the well lit hallway.

"Who is it?", I heard Tara shout from another room.

_She probably wanted to know if it was someone she knew so she could cover up..._

"Catherine!", I said to her as innocently as I could.

"Oh, I'll uh- be r-right there!", she stuttered as I could hear her scamper through the apartment.

"It's okay, I can let myself in!", I said, hoping to catch her in the act.

"NO! I mean, the door is, um, locked!", she lied with a hint of panic in her voice.

I knew she was covering her tracks when she opened the door in long pants and a bathrobe.

I took a deep breath and said as calmly as I could, "I know. I know what you are trying to hide, Tara. I saw the gashes, the bruises, the black eye. I am taking you to the hospital. Now.", I said firmly in the same strict voice I used to punish Lindsay.

"No, Catherine you can't! I'll tell you everything I swear, just don't make me do anything that Greg might find out about!", she panicked, the fear and pain in her eyes stabbing me like a rusty knife.

"OK. But you have to promise to take an anonymous visit to the ER. You could get infected from those wounds. You cant work in that condition. Grissom is the only other person who knows about your wounds, and he can keep a secret."

She sighed with a sad shudder as she sat down on the couch. She motioned for me to sit in a chair next to her.

* * *

"I was raped."

* * *


	21. Greg needs to know about this

* * *

Point of View -Catherine

* * *

"You were _raped_?", I said as my jaw dropped open.

"Tara, I don't understand. Why wouldn't you tell us that?"

She looked up at me with such rage and fury in her eyes that I had to look away. "I couldn't. I couldn't let Greg find out, find out that I was desperate enough to run back into the arms of someone who had once cheated on me. Besides, all the justice in the world couldn't return what he took from me." She spoke so steadily and calmly that it was almost eerie.

"What do you mean? What did he take from you Tara?", I asked, not really understanding.

"He, this, was my, this isn't easy for me to say. This was my first, um, first time. Having sex. And I didn't even _want_ to!" She swallowed hard and burst into tears. She wiped her face with a shaky hand and looked at me again. Only this time, it wasn't rage in her eyes. It was fear.

"Oh my god, Tara.", I said as I took a deep breath. I felt horrible for her.

"The first time you ever had sex was because someone raped you. I- I am so sorry. This has got to be traumatic. I just want you to know, that even thhough this creep did this to you, all guy aren't like that."

"Don't you think I know that? This is why I didn't tell anyone. People treat me like a goddamn child just cause I hadn't had sex! I was raped, but I am trying to get over it. Deal with it."

"Tara, calm down. I need you to help me help you. I know you have been to hell and back, but I need to know where you got these wounds from, did he...?", I didn't have to finish. She knew the answer, and said it to me as calmly as she had explained before.

"Yes. He assaulted me when I fought back. After he raped me, I bit his tounge when he tried to kiss me. He exploded as he felt my teeth peirce the skin of his mouth, and blood start to trickle out. He threw me up against the wall with his hands around my neck and he pulled out a gun. I froze, just realizing that he could actually kill me now, but instead of pulling the tigger, he smashed his gun against me nose and my ribs. I was nearly unconcoius, lying on my cold hardwood floor next, when he grabbed a knife from the kitchen and attacked me. He cut my stomach, probably hoping i would bleed out, and then he cut my shins, just to cause me a little more pain. I only remember lying there, shivering on the floor in a fetal position, holding my wounds as I waited to die. I blacked out, and woke up this morning in a puddle of dried blood." She told me, as if it was just another day.

_She thought she was going to die..._

"Tara, I am taking you to the emergency room. I won't tell them anything, and they will let you keep this confidential. I won't take no for an answer. Let's go."

_I better call Greg while she is being treated. He needs to know about this.

* * *

_


	22. Seeing Red

* * *

Point of View - Catherine

* * *

"Greg? It's Cath. I have some news about Tara ..."

The conversation lasted only seconds, as he decided that he was going to come visit her. I told him to tell Tara that Grissom told him about the incident. I could handle Grissom's complaints later.

Greg stormed in through the double doors into the waiting room in a worried panic. His eyes darted around the room and he finally settled his gaze on a chair.

"Why is this happening to me? First she up and leaves me, and then she gets raped and assaulted by some bastard! I love her, why is this happening?", he asked nobody in particular as he sat down inthe chair and threw his head in is hands.

"Greg, all I know is that she is injured, and sacred. Be patient with her, she's been through alot.", I said, well aware that he already knew this. I didn't know what else to say, though.

"Did she tell you why she left! Did she tell you who this guy was! Are we gonna catch him!" he started, his adrenaline pumping through his veins as he turned into over-protective-boyfriend Greg. He looked so distraught. His eyes were bloodshot and dry, and his face was unusually pale.

"No, yes, and no. She is scared of him. She doesn't want people to know, either. I personally, know how helpless and scared she feels. I don't blame her for wanting to destroy every trace of him left. Guys don't understand that women aren't somehting they can play with, and then throw away when it get's boring.", I vented. I knew Greg was a good guy, and he didn't deserve my scoldings, but I said it anyway.

All of a sudden his face lit up. He had an idea, it was written all over him.

"I did find something, butI don't know what to make of it. Catherine, when I emptied the trash last night, I found something. On top of some old, dead flowers, there was a box. With a platinum weddingband in it."

"She was going to propose...", I whispered to myself.

* * *

"Catherine, you swore you wouldn't tell!", a sharp, hurt voice scolded meas I whirled around at the sound of my voice.

_Shit._

"Tara! Why didn't you tell me you were hurt? Why did you leave me?", Greg interrupted beforeI could reply to Tara's acusation. He scanned Tara from head to toe, looking at all her injuries and hating the bastard who did this even more than Greg thought possible. He saw red as he thought about this fucker, beating_his,_ _Greg's,_ Tara. He honestly wanted to commit a murder right there in that waiting room.

Tara sat in a wheelchair, bandages up her shin and lower abdomen. She probably had to have stitches, and they had a thin plastic brace around her torso to protect her broken rib. She also had a tiny peice of metal across the bridge of her nose to brace it where it had broken. She was in her regular clothes, not a hospital gown. She stood up carefully and walked over to Greg.

"Greg, I'm sorry. I never should have just left because you were late. I was going to propose to you that night you stayed five extra hours. I was hurt, so I packed up and left. I felt lonely, so I called my ex, who obviously had some issues. I am not pressing charges, but if we ever get a case against him, my experience will help put him behind bars.", Tara tried to explain, she had really forgiven him. She must have thought about him,through all this.

I watched the two apologise to each other, and I started to cry. _Happy tears_. I knew that this was going to be okay for them now. I had helped.


	23. The big question

* * *

Point of View - Tara

* * *

Greg and I had started living together again, and I was out running some errands fo him.

Greg really didn't like me workingor doing things with my injuries, but the doctor said I could continute to work and help normally.

I carried some milk and eggs into the apartment building, and I walked into the musty elevator. When it dropped me off on Greg's floor, I stepped out onto the thin tan carpet that ran through the halls.

I walked over to Greg's big black door, and opened it up.

_So much for the eggs_...

I dropped the bag that I was holding and my jaw dropped open.

Greg was down on one knee in the living room. There were candles and flowers everywhere.

_He knew what I was going to do before! He tricked me! I knew we didn't need any milk..._

He held in hs hands a huge diamond on a white-gold band. I laughed nervously and I just stood there in the doorway, in shock. My body and my brain were temporarily disconnected.

"Tara, will you marry me?", he smiled. I couldn't understand how calm he was. I could barely breathe.

"Yes.", I said without even thinking.

The word jumped out of my mouth. When I finally found my feet, I walked over to him and held his hand. I found my voice next, and repeated my answer, this time with tears and smiles.

"Yes, Greg. I will marry you!"


	24. A few words

* * *

Point of View - Narrator

* * *

"Hi Sara. How you doing here? Not really a five-star accommodation. I think I am going to try and get you a better room. I never told anyone this, not even Greg, but I am LOADED. My parents are billionaires. Shh... it's a secret, though. I don't like people thinking of me as rich. I don't feel rich. I work because I love what I do, and I know it's a way that I can help. Oh, listen to me. I guess Greg's rambling rubs off! My point is, I am going to try to make you as comfortable as possible. You can't have anything get in the way of you getting better. I need to let someone else have a chance to talk to you, so this is goodbye for now.", Tara walked out of the hospital room, tearing up.

* * *

Catherine walked into the room, and she looked at Sara. "Poor baby. You look like you could use a manicure. I always paint nails when I am upset, so lucky for me I brought nail polish!", Catherine sid nervously as she pulled out the pale pink bottle from her purse. She began to paint Sara's nails as she talked to her. "I must have some weird form of OCD! Ha, but really. You need to wake up, Sara. You can't even imagine how many people are outside this room worried sick about you. And Gil, well, let's just say he hasn't left this hospital since you got out of surgery. He really loves you Sara. I know he does, he is a mess. He is a worried mess. You missed alot. Tara and Greg are engaged, and well, you don't need to know about Tara's incident. That's not what you want to hear right now. There, perfect.", Catherine said as she finished painting Sara's nails. She brushed Sara's hair before she left, and told her that she needs to get well, or she will face the wrath of Catherine Willows.

* * *

Nick walked in, not really able to look at Sara. "You don't know what you're putting us all through, Sara. You don't know what a wreck we've all been over you. You can't begin to imagine all the pain that we're all in. I don't know how you can just shut people out and expect to lay in this hospital, alone. While we were sitting in the lab, wondering where you went on vacation, or what you're doing with your free time. This isn't exactly what we pictured for you, Sara. You thought it would be better if we didn't know, didn't you? Well, is this better? For you? It definately isn't any better for us. You could have been here in a coma, and nobody would've known. You would be so alone. I can't think abot this any more, I gotta go." Nick walked out with his head bowed down.

* * *

Warrick came in, said a short, "Get better, girl. We couldn't get by without you." and left. He was too overcome by the memories of his mother and grandmother laying in that hospital bed, only _they_ never came back out. They never got out of that bed again.

* * *

Brass came in, looked around, and sat down as if the place belonged to him. "Nice room. A window, four walls, and a ceiling. Classy You know Sara? You need to learn how to ask for help now and then. You always are so independant, but at the same time, you're not. You can't expect us to just sit back and watch this happen can you? You don't seen to realize how much your not telling people has hurt Gil. He is a wreck. I have seen murderer's confess in a more digified manner than what he is right now. You need to get better. Or else."

* * *

Greg came in, paced in circles around the floor, and fidgited. "This place freaks me out. It reminds me of thate explosion you and I were in. I think you have it a little worse than I did, though. I was awake. But Sara, you have something to motivate you to wake up. You have Grissom. I think tis really did it for him. I think it changed him, you know? He is different, somehow. You really scared us, Sara. And you missed Tara and my engagement. I am getting married, Sara. Me, getting married. That still sounds weird. But in a good way, you know? I am rambling, so I am going to leave. You need to get better."

* * *


	25. Where is she?

Please review. I am really excited. I got about 2800 hits! But I realy want to know what you think about the story, so I am not going to update until I get some reviews. No flames, but constructive criticism is okay. Just make sure you word it nicely please. Enjoy chapter 25!

* * *

Point of View - Grissom

* * *

"Sara, I am so glad you're awake now. There was a point there when I thought you would never wake up. But you're awake now.", I said to her, as I knelt by her bedside, holding her hand.

"Yes I am Grissom. I am awake. And I was wondering, can we go out to dinner sometime?"

I froze.

_Why didn't she ask me what happened? Why is she so calm? She still doesn't know about the surgery, the coma. What is she talking about?_

"Sara, I think you should know what happened to you before we start with that."

"Why? I don't care why I am in the hospital. I care about you. I love you."

_Did she just tell me she loves me? What is she doing?_

"Sara, you were in a coma. You had emergency surgery. They removed your kidney."

"Shut up.", she said. Her voice was low and cold. I sat there like a dimwit with my mouth open and she continued.

"I am telling you that I love you, and this is your answer? What is wrong with you! I am telling you what I have been trying to tell you for years, and when I finally do, you ignore me? Why are you doing this to me!". She started to sit up, and she glared at me.

"I think you're too late now, Grissom. I think you have really done it. I hate you Gil Grissom!"

And then she was gone. She was dead, in her hospital bed. The heart rate moonitor had stopped. I tried to yell for help, but I knew she was gone. I had let her die, right in front of me. All I heard was a voice in the back of my head calling my name.

"Gil, Gil, Gil.", the voice got louder. Something was shaking me. It wouldn't stop.

* * *

The voice was Catherine. She was trying to wake me up._ It was all a dream..._

"Gil, wake up. It's okay. Sara's okay. It was just a dream, Gil."

I rubbed my eyes and my surroundings came back. I was asleep in the waiting room. I was not alone.

"Catherine, where is Sara? When I fell asleep I was in her room. Is something wrong?"

"No, Sara's just fine. She came out of the coma, but she is asleep now. Tara forced the doctors to move Sara into a nicer room. She's even more stubborn than me, you know?"

"Not possible to be more stubborn than you. Where is Sara's new room? I have to be there when she wakes up. I have to...", I said as I stood up. Catherine motioned for me o sit back down, and I wasn't in the mood for a fight, so I did.

"It's okay, Gil. She'll be asleep for another hour or so, no sooner. When she came out of the coma, her body was still exhausted and weak, so the nurse gave her a mild sedative to help her body gain some energy. Everyone else is on there way over now. I called them when she came out of the coma. I also had the doctors help me move you out of the old room. I didn't wake you, because you really needed your rest. You want some breakfast? The cafeteria is open."

"Can you just grab me some coffee? I'm not hungry."

"You are going to eat, Gil. It's been 12 hours since your last meal. I am getting you a bagel. I'll be right back."

_I do wonder why she asks me questions, and then doesn't accept my answer_...


	26. A smile from Sara

I was planning on holing out for more reviews, but they were just so nice that I had to update, in fear of losing my reader's attention. Thank you so much to my first two reviewers.Keep reading snd reviewing please!

* * *

Point of View - Narrator

* * *

"Sara? Hey hon. How are you?", Catherine said as she sat down next to Sara on the bed.

"Um, I don't really know...Why am I at a hospital anyway? Last thing I remember is sitting with Grissom in the park.", Sara asked as Catherine pushed a button on the bed to sit Sara up.

"The park, huh? Hmm. He didn't tell me this happened on a date...", Catherine said as she got distracted.

"It wasn't a date. It was a walk. Now can you please focus and tell me what happened to me?"

"Okay, okay. You and Grissom were on your 'walk', when you passed out. He called an ambulence, and you were taken here. You had to have your cancerous kidney rmoved because it had a tear in it and toxins were being released into your body. So, you had surgery, and while you were recovering from the anesthesia, the toxins in your body caused you to fall into a coma.", she paused to take a deep breath, and added, "that pretty much covers it all."

"Coma?", she whispered.

"How long have I been out?", she asked fearfully.

Catherine laughed and commforted her. "Only about forty hours. You recovered fast, actually. You will be able to go home in a week, because they have to keep you for observation."

"Where is he?", she asked calmly. Her voice was hoarse from lack of use, and she croak the words out.

"Who? Ohhh...Gil. I get it. I'm not wanted.", she joked."I forced him to go home and get some rest. Look on the counter by the window, somebody left you some stuff."

Sara turned to loook and she gasped at all the stuff. "Who is all this from?"

"The guys at the lab. Warrick sent the flowers, Nicky sent the teddy bear, and Greg sent the cookies and fruit basket. Oh, and Tara got you this room. It's a way better room than you were in before. This one has a window, and a veiw."

"Wow. I wasn't even awake yet and even then they spoiled me. Hey, did I miss anything good the past few days?"

"Yes. You'll never believe who is getting married. Guess. You'll never get it.", Catherine teased Sara.

"You?", Catherine shook he head no. "Nick?", again, no. "Warrick, Brass, who?"

"Well, his name starts with a G. It's not Gil, because, well, you know."

"Well it can't be Greg, so who is it?"

Catherine stood there with a huge smile, knowing she had fooled Sara.

"It's Greg? Woah! He beat me. Scary.", Sara joked along. "So who's the gal?"

"Tara."

"What? My god I missed alot. I didn't even know they were dating. Did I miss anything else?"

"Hmm...I don't think, oh wait! I have more good news."

"What is it?", Sara said with a big smile, expecting to enjoy a little of Catherine's gossip.

"We are the number 1 CSI in the country! And, even better for you, we became numbe one while you were still working. So, I am planning a surprise. Gil is the only other one who knows, so keep it quiet."

"Okay. I swear. What is the big secret?"

"Yeah, what is the big secret? Why didn't you tell me she woke up Catherine? I told you I wanted to be here.", an all-too-familiar voice said as Catherine winced because she got caught.

"Grissom? Hey. I thought you were asleep at home? Catherine said you needed to rest.", Sara said as she smiled ecstatically at him.

"I was asleep, but I woke up and decided to come over and see how you were doing. How do you feel?", Grissom spoke as he glared at Catherine. She shrugged it off and answered for Sara.

"She just woke up about a half hour ago. I explained the situation to her, and she is doing fine."

"Good. I am so glad to hear it. I brought you your bathrobe, pajamas and some tea. I figured you would be thirsty.", Grissom said as he turned his attention back over to Sara.

"Gil, how did you get into Sara's house?", Catherine said with a hand on her hip.

"I didn't. This stuff was at my house - oh shit. I know what this looks like, but I swear I was just concerned about her health and ability to care for herself.", Grissom said defensively. He started to blush, with was rare.

"Uh-huh. Okay.", Catherine joked saracastically just to further embarrass and irk him."Now, back to what I was saying, I am planning a banquet for all the CSI's and lab techs. A formal thing, you know? With catering. I was hoping, that after you were released from the hospital, I could actually set the date. I am telling everyone today."

"That sounds like so muchfun! Are people bringing dates?", Sara said to Catherine. Catherine knew exactlywhat she was thinking. Who didn't?

"I don't know. I might.", Catherine said with a grin.

"Cool. Hey Gris, you wanna go with me? If a date makes you uncomfortable, we could just go as friends. But if you don't want to, just say so-", she stammered.

"Sara! I'll go with you. I will.", he said as her smile spread from ear to ear.

* * *


	27. A dress for Tara

* * *

**A week later...**

* * *

Sara was out of the hospital, and two dates had been marked on everyone's calendar. The banquet, and the wedding. Sara, Tara, and Catherine were shopping in a designer store that Tara had convinced them to go in. They were each picking two gowns. All the women were picking out dresses for the banquet, but Tara was picking her wedding dress. Catherine and Sara had been made bridesmaids. Tara was an only child, and her parents were afraid to fly over from London.

* * *

"Sara, look at this one! It would look so perfect on you!", Tara squealed as the three girls ran around like kids in a candy store. The dress Tara was holding out for Sara really _was_ perfect for her.

She took it into the fitting room, and came out. Tara and Catherine stared at her in awe. She looked like a model in the dress.

It was a floor-length gown. It was made of red silk, with a sheer black mesh-ey fabric over it. It was fitted and cinched around the bust, and the black mesh flowed down to the floor with lacy streaks here and there. It had two spaghetti straps, and a short train in the back.

Sara looked so beautiful, she almost forgot to look at the price.

"900 dollars?", she shreiked when she found the tag. "For a _dress_?"

"Yea, so? Thats not that bad.", Tara said. The other two women stared at her with a confused look.

"Not that bad? Tara, how much money do you_ have_?", Catherine asked. It was a rhetorical question, but Tara didn't realize that, so she answered.

"About 50 million, why?", she calmly stated. Then she realized they didn't know she was rich. They stared at her until she was so uncomfortable, she had to say something.

"I can buy it for you. It'll be a 'congratulations, your not in a coma!' gift. I won't take no for an answer."

"Um, ok." Sara only agreed because she looked so beautiful in that dress.

"Now, we all have dresses, so you guys wanna help me pick out my wedding gown?", Tara inquiered.

"Of course! This'll be fun.", Catherine answered for both of them as they went to the back of the store.

About three hours and a bajillion dresses later, Catherine picked another dress out for Tara. Tara asked the saleswoman for her size, and she dissapeared into the fancier dressing room. When she came back out, it was like she stepped out of a fairytale.

The saleswoman described the dress to them. "It is a strapless ivory two-peice corset bustier, an ivory lace skirt in a mermaid style cut. That means a narrow bdy-hugging waist that fares dramatically at or below the knee. It is made of a matte ivory satin. It would look good with a waterfall-style veil in ivory."

The woman's technical words meant nothing to Tara. She looked in the three way mirror, then turned to Catherne and Sara. They had tears in their eyes.

"Do you think Greg will like it?", Tara asked them happily.

"Tara, I think that he will think he is dreaming. You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.", Sara said as she imagined Greg's reaction.

"I am getting this dress. I am going to get married in _this_ dress."


	28. To date or not to date?

**Sorry I haven't updated in a little bit. First day of high school, you know... Anyway, REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! I only have five, and it makes me sad...**

* * *

"Hey, what did you get on our mystery killers?", Nick asked Tara as he strolled into the lab. He was very cheerful today.

"Well,", she started to answer, trying not to laugh, but failing miserably. She could barely speak she was laughing so hard, so she sat down for a second to compose herself. "Ok. I'm good now. Um, Your killer's spit came back a 'Howe D. Pardner', and um, I'd kill somebody too if that was my name!", she finally said as she went into hysterics once again.

Nick chuckled and said, "Wow. Where did you find a match? Was he in the system already?"

"Yea. Howe D. Pardner is a cop. What a world we live in, huh?", she added. Tara looked up at the ceiling and sighed. She looked back down at Nick and said "Ever wonder if illiterate people get the full effect of alphabet soup?"

"What?", Nick asked after she asked her philosophic little question. He was very confused as to why she asked. "Why?"

"I don't know. I was just thinking about stuff. What is happening to the world these days? I was on jury duty last month, and the DA asked 'How many times have you committed suicide?' to the witness. My god. Oh and I was shopping for paint the other day and I saw a warning label on a chainsaw. It said DO NOT TRY TO STOP WITH HANDS OR GENITALS. I wonder what kind of consumer phone call led to_ that _warning...", Tara giggled as she spoke.

Nick and Tara walked into the break room together and sat on the couch with Catherine, who was eating a bag of peanuts.

Nick replied to Tara with, "That's nothing. I had a TV dinner last night, and on the side of the box it said SERVING SUGGESTION: DEFROST."

Catherine looked up from her snack and said, "What?"Nick and Tara told her what they were talking about and she asked "What is wrong with people? My bag of peanuts says WARNING: CONTAINS NUTS."

They all started laughing and sharing tidbits about weird things they have seen or heard. Soon enough, Greg and Warrick had joined in the fun. Everyone was laughing and sharing.

Greg chimed in by saying, "A 'jiffy' is an actual unit of time for 1/100th of a second! And Grissom will like this one, the ant can lift 50 times its own weight, can pull 30 times its own weight and always falls over on its right side when intoxicated."

Tara replied, "You can intoxicate an ant?"

Greg answered, "I guess you can intoxicate any animal."

"Good to know.", Warrick joked. Everyone laughed and made jokes of their own.

Grissom, however, was in his office.

* * *

_What am I doing? I can't get involved with Sara. But, I already said yes. And I can't break the date... But everyone will be there, and everyone will see us together. People will talk. Why did I say yes?_ Grissom was going through hell in his mind. He couldn't let a relationship develop, no matter how much he wanted it to. He needed to stop this, but he couldn't. He wouldn't. "Catherine!", Grissom called over the intercom.

She came running nto his room, still giggling over Nick's last joke. "Yes?"

"I, I need to talk to you. It's-"

"Sara. I know. I figured you would be having second thoughts as soon as I heard you say yes to her. But, before you say anything, I just want you to know, that she is not going to take it well if you say no now."

Grissom sighed deeply, as if he was trying to breathe out all his torubles. He thought carefully about what to say next. "Catherine, I have tried so hard to prevent this. Why is it happening anyway?"

"Maybe some things are just supposed to happen?"

"No. I won't let it. I can't have a relationship with Sara. I, I won't."

Grissom ignored the cold stare Catherine gave him. She shook her head dissapprovingly and left Grissom to his thoughts.

* * *

_I have to break the date...But what if Sara quits? I know she overreacts, so quitting is possible. The lab couldn't get by without Sara. I couldn't get by without Sara..._


	29. The Page: Part I

This story needed more drama like i need a hole in the head, but i added it anyway. (the drama, not the hole.) I need reviews or I am not going to update. I want to know what you think, what you don't like, and what you want to see happen. Oh and Jess, I needed a name for my character, so I used you. Hope you don't mind.

* * *

Tara was in the lab, playing U2's with or without you. Grissom could hear it in his office as the soft lyrics flooded his troubled thoughts. 

_Through the storm, we reach the shore  
You gave it all but I want more  
And I'm waiting for you… _

With or without you  
With or without you.  
I can't live with or without you.

* * *

He needed to stop the date, but he wouldn't. He wanted to go on a date with Sara, and he was going to. He didn't care what happened a a result.

_Life goes on... Anything bad that happens will be fixed. It will work out._

He gave his attention back to his case. A young woman was found in a bed, with no outward signs of COD. Her identical twin sister was in questioning right now. Grissom slowly stood up and walked down the hall silently until he reached the interrogation room.

"Jessica Allen?", he aked of the sister. She looked very distraught, and she had been crying very hard. She was average height, and blonde. Her eyes were blue and bloodshot from crying. She shakily nodded yes.

"Th-thats me. Nobody will tell me, how did my sister die?", she said in such a hushed whisper Grissom could barely understand her.

"We, we don't know yet. She didn't show any outward signs as to her manner of death, but we're looking. We'll find out soon enough. Now, may I ask you a few questions?"

She sighed and looked at her hands in her lap. "Yes. I want to help."

"Thank you. Now, did your sister have a drug problem?"

She looked a little surprised at the question. "No, not Ashley. She was kind of a health nut. She didn't even hang out with anyone who did drugs. She was one hundred percent clean."

"Nothing personal, just standard questioning. Was she a generally happy person, nobody who wanted to commit suicide?"

"She was one of the happist people in the world. She didn't have any enemies or anything."

The questioning contiued and they found out that Ashley was alone in the house when she died, and the security alarm was fully intact. So, either she commited suicide, it was an accident, or the murderer was in the house before the security alarm was set. _But that means that the murderer could have been in the house while we were investigating...

* * *

_

Grissom thought about Sara off and on during that case, wondering how she was doing. She was staying at her own house now. Grissom would stop by every day to see how she was, but she couldn't come back to work for another month.

Grissom's pager went off. It was from Nick. His heart rate spe dup dangerously when he saw the message on the pager's tiny screen. He ran off to the hospital as he comprehended the message on the pager.

* * *

**Catherine. 911. car accident.**


	30. The Page: Part II

Cold rain. Warm blood. No time to lose.

* * *

The ice-like raindrops hit Greg's face like needles. He was trapped in the car. It was sideways in a trench off of a tiny side road in the middle of nowhere. If Greg hadn't been able to reach his pager, they would of been stuck here. _Shit. I forgot to tell Grissom where we were...

* * *

_

Grissom raced into Desert Palms hospital reception area. "Catherine Willows. Where is she?", he heaved, out of breath and scared for his best friend's life.

"Willows? I'm sorry sir. We don't have a Catherine Willows being treated here.", the calm receptionist replied in a frustratingly soothing voice.

Grissom's heart raced dangerously fast as he ran back into his black Tahoe. He tore out of the parking lot way over the speed limit, as he headed back to the lab. He feared the worst as he pulled out onto the main road. He jumped in surprise when his pager once again broke the uncomfortable silence with a sharp ring. His breathing slowed only slightly when Greg sent him the address of the accident. He turned his truck around in the direction that Greg gave him, and he called Nick and Warrick on his way to the scene.

* * *

"Cath? Catherine, you okay?", Greg asked weakly, almost in a whisper. No answer. The only noise he heard was her shallow labored breathing and the crunching of glass as he tried to shift in his seat. Greg couldn't look over at her, because his head was pinned in place by a tree branch that had shot through the windsheild, narrowly missing Greg's throat. He was bleeding from his head, and he didn't know where the rest of his blood was pouring out from. Catherine was still not responding to Greg's voice. Greg was also becoming weaker and weaker. He was losing blood and that was draining him like a battery.

"Help-", was all he could croak out to anybody, before blackness swallowed up his mind an thoughts.

* * *

Grissom's tires skidded slightly on the wet pavement of the back road. He rolled to a stop, and Nick and Warrick were right behind him by now. They all got out of their trucks.

"Where are they?", Nick asked Grissom as he scanned the surroundings for any signs of the bonde and their youngest CSI. Nothing but pine trees in sight.

"Greg gave me this address. He should be here...", Grissom replied vaguely as he searched intently for any signs of a car accident.

"Why didn't he call an ambulence if Catherine was in an accident?", Warrick asked as he shivered from the icy rain.

"Maybe he was in the accident too. Whatever the reason, we don't have time to spare. Let's go.", Nick answered. The three men grabbed their feild kits and started to process the scene. Grissom spotted some broken glass, and he followed it further and further into a trench.

"Nick, call 911. I found them."

* * *

Warrick ran over to Grissom to help resue them. He saw Catherine. The steering wheel had pressed against her throat, causing her to lose oxygen. Grissom screamed at him to stop, but Warrick opened the car door and pulled Catherine out of the car. Grissom didn't worry that she might have broken bones when he saw her blue lips and pale face from hypothermia. Nick had called an ambulence and jogged over and he saw what they saw. He acted first and gave her mouth to mouth.

When he finally felt a pulse, he stopped and slipped out of his jacket. He pulled it tightly around his unconcious friend to warm her and support her in case of any broken bones. Grissom had uncovered Greg from the bottom of the wreckage and he saw the pool of blood still forming around him. He saw the pager in Greg's hand, with the message Greg would have sent Grissom next still on it's tiny screen.

**Hurry Gris.**

Grissom panicked and called out Greg's name and Greg woke up quickly from his very mild concussion. He struggled slightly, then gave up.

"Gris, get me out. Nothing is broken, get me out. The seat belt is cutting off my circulation.", Greg coughed out to his boss. His spiky hair was matted and soaked in dried blood. His arm was burned. He shivered both in pain, and from the coldness of the rain and air.

Grissom grabbed a pocket knife out of his shirt pocket and cut through the seatbelt anxiously to free Greg from his position. A chopper showed up less than a second later. Greg had to be cut out of the car with the jaws of life. They pulled him out of the car onto a stretcher and found the source of all his blood loss. He had a metal chard stabbed through the achilles tendon in his ankle. It was still bleeding, so the EMT's had to move even faster. Catherine was loaded into the helicopter and put on a respirator while they tried to regulate her body temperature. Greg was sedated so they could remove the metal fragment fom him and the chopper flew away. Grissom, Nick, and Warrick got into their trucks and raced out to Desert Palms in a frenzy.

* * *

**A/N: Review if you want me to continue this story, because it seems like nobody is reading it. So, I won't continue until I find out that people are actually reading my story.**


	31. Medical concerns

Dr. Robbins quietly approached Tara in the lab, as he had just recieved a call from Grissom. He didn't want to have to be the one to tell her about Greg, but someone had to. He cleared his throat and she quickly turned around in her chair.

She flashed him a smile as she acknowledged him and stood up. "Yes Doctor?"

"Um, Tara, I just recieved a phone call. You really should sit down for this.", he said with the most comforting tone he could muster. He saw the panic in her eyes as soon as he told her to sit down.

"Why, is something wrong?"

"Unfortuantely, yes. Tara, Greg has been in a car accident. He was choppered over to Desert Palms. He is stable, but he has suffered severe blood loss. I already called you a cab."

She didn't respond. She stared blanky at him as he put his arm around her back and led her out to meet the cab. When it showed up, he told the cab driver where to go, and gave Tara some money for cab fare. Tara was in a slight state of shock. She walked into the reception area of the hospiatl and asked for Greg Sanders, still not shedding a tear.

"I'm sorry. I can only give out patient information to his next of kin. Is that you?", the receptionist said happily.

Tara only looked up at her to say, "Yes. I am his fionce." The receptionist realized that Tara was in emotional shock, so she called a nurse over to escort her to Greg's room.

Tara walked one step into his room, and she burst into tears. Greg had stitches on his temple, and a large bandage on his foot. He was awake, and grinned as if he had been waiting for her.

"Hey sexy. Where've you been?", he half-joked. He tried to lighten the mood, but Tara was now laying her head on his chest, weeping openly. He rubbed her back a little, and he tried to comfort her.

"W-what happened Greg?"

"Well, Catherine and I were heading down a back road to a crime scene, when a deer ran in front of the car. It was raining pretty hard, so when we swerved to avoid it, we slipped off the road. The car rolled twice, then landed sideways in a trench off the shoulder. I paged Grrissom, and he found us about a half hour later."

"Oh my god. Greg- wait a minute. Catherine, where is she?", Tara said as her worry only grew when she heard her coworker's name.

"She's behind that curtain, over there. We got a double room. She's unconcious, but she's fine. She didn't get any real injuries, she just was trapped behind the steering wheel."

Tara turned her tear-filled eyes back on me. She looked at me and started to weep again. She inquired about his foot.

"Oh, apparantly I cut the achilles tendon in that whole ordeal. I got it all stitched up, and they siad there is a 95 percent chance it will heal perfectly and I will be able to walk again. But, unfortunately, I won't be walking at the wedding. Crutches. They suck. So, the first dance as a couple wil be more of a hobble. So..."

"I don't care. I just am happy your safe now."

* * *

_Catherine was released the next day, and Greg, a week later. Sara came back to work, and Greg has been working on crutches. The wedding went beautifully, and Greg and Tara came back from their honeymoon. The banquet will be in a week, and everyone is doing fine.

* * *

_

"Dr. Robbins? May I come in?", Tara said in a happy voice as she poked her head into the morgue.

"Why, yes my dear. Now, why is it that I am being graced with your presence?"

Tara smiled modestly at his politeness. "I have some medical concerns, that I need to speak to you about."

"Medical concerns? Is everything alright?"

She started to tear up, and looked down at the floor as she fiddled with a button on her blouse. "Yes doctor. Everything is wonderful.", she paused as she smiled to herself, still crying, "I'm pregnant."

* * *

**Just so you all know, I didn't describe the wedding on purpose. Everyone has their own idea of a fairy-tale wedding, so I wanted each reader to imagine their own perfect wedding.**


	32. Congratulations!

**_Oh my god. I can't do this, not now... Oh my god!_, Tara thought to herself as she stared at the peice of cold white plastic she held tightly in her shaking hands. _Pregnant?_ Tara had gotten pregnant on her and Greg's honeymoon. She and Greg hadn't even talked about having kids at all, and now, a week into their marriage, Tara finds out she's pregnant? _Would Greg even want to have kids? What could I do if he didn't, get an abortion? _She was due for her period the week of the honeymoon. She was as regular as the four seasons of the year, so the odds that she was 'late', were very slim_. A baby?

* * *

_**

"You're pregnant? Well, congratuations! I'll congratulate Greg next time I see him!", Dr. Robbins said cheerfully as he shook Taras hand with both of his.

"No don't!", Tara jumped in a panic.

"Why not? Ohh... You haven't told him yet. I'm very happy for you Tara."

Tara left, completely forgetting the questions she had wanted to ask Doc Robbins. She searched out Greg, and he had just gotten back from the feild. She motioned for him to come into the locker room, and he followed obediently like a puppy to it's master. He kissed her sweetly, and asked, "Yes, my darling? What's up babe?"

"Greg, I-I, I need to tell you something. You should sit." He sat, gazing at her umcomfortably. "Greg, um, are you interested in kids?", she asked, trying to appraoch this as gently as possible.

He looked at her, quite puzzled, for a moment. He replied, "Yeah, I guess,haven't really thought about it that much. We've only been married a week, you know. Why?", not catching a drift.

"Greg, I guess the direct approach would be best in this case.", she paused to gather up her courage. She took a deep breath and looked Greg right in the eye.

"Greg, I'm pregnant."

Sara had picked the worst moment for her to walk into the locker room. She heard everything. She walked over to where the parent's-to-be were, and smiled. Tara looked at her, but then decided she had more important issues, so she loked back at Greg.

Greg had noticed her presence, but he ignored this bystander. "P-p-pregnant? But, but, when, where? A b-baby, us? A baby? But, but...but!", hebabbled stupidly.

"Our honeymoon. You and I are going to be parents, Greg." Tara said with acautious tone, expecting the best and the worst. It seemed that Greg actually had to hear it from Tara's mouthbefore he believed it. His face lit up and he kissed Tara passionately, surprising her a little bit.

"You know, this is how this whole babysituation getsstarted in the first place...", Sara commented, re-announcing her presence.

"Oh, sorry Sara.", Tara blushed as she smiled and bit her lower lip meekly. "You can't tell anyone yet, about, you know, this. I wanna see who actually has the guts to ask me why Iam getting fatter and rounder.", Tara giggled.

* * *

Greg and Tara went back to work, attempting to hide the big news. Warrick was the only one who caought the little slips and glances between the happy young couple. He still didn't suspect a pregnancy asthe reason. It was hard for anyone to picture Greg as a father, anyway.

**Greg couldn't even see himself as a father...**


	33. The Banquet

**I have already planned out the next few chapters, so they should come pretyy quick. Here's a hint for a future chapter: someone's life is at risk, and they're not a CSI or lab tech...**

**DUN-DUN-DAAAAA!**

**Little dramatic sound effect's there... I know. Anyway, here's chapter 33.**

* * *

"Woah.", Tara said as she sat in front of the TV. Greg changed out of his work clothes and came to sit next to her on their couch.

"Woah what?", Greg said as he stared at the TV, like it was going to give him an answer.

"Well, I was watching this show, on the Discovery Health Channel about DNA. And when it finished, a show about pregnancy and chilbirth came on. It says, that in the late months of pregnancy and after, your breasts can grow two sizes bigger to hold milk. Now I am a C, and two sizes bigger would be a DD, and- Greg!", she scolded as she wacked him with the TV guide. He had been staring at her chest, wide-eyed, grinning, probably picturing his fit and curvy wife with DD's. She, however had been trying to make a point.

"Hey, I can't help it. If you were a guy, you'd understand. Now, what are our plans?"

"Plans for what?"

"The baby. My apartment can't fit a BABY."

"Well, we could move to a townhouse? After all, I told you I was rich, right?"

"Yes. Where is the nearest neighborhood to the lab? And, are you going to work like Catherine?"

"Greg, we have nine months to plan all this out. Don't rush things. We have plenty of time. Ok?"

"Alright. Are you ready for that banquet tomorrow? Isn't that the perfect time to tell everyone?", Greg pleaded with his big brow eyes. He had been dying to tell everyone how proud he was to be a father. Tara had had no trouble keeping it a secret, however.

"Greg,we are_not_ telling them yet. But yes. I am looking forward to the banquet very much so.", Tara said. Greg looked a little dissapointed, but not _that_ much.

Greg woke up in their bed, but something wasn't right. He was hugging a pillow where Tara had been right before he fell asleep. He heard the toilet flush, and Tara's familiar footsteps walking over to the door that led to the bedroom. But then she turned around and he heard her bare feet running across the tle floor. A few seconds passed and the toilet flushed again. She opened the door to the bedroom and stood in the doorway looking sweaty, pale and tired.

"Tara, are you okay?", Greg asked, not sure _what_ was wrong with her. She staggered over to the bed and plopped down at his side.

"Greg, I don't think I can make it to the banquet tonight...I'm sorry.", he stared at her for a moment before she bolted back up and raced into the bathroom, only this time, forgetting to shut the door. Greg winced as he heard her empty the contents of her stomach into the white porcelain bowl. She flushed, rinsed her mouth out and staggered out once again.

"Ahh. I see. Morning sickness?", he asked, trying to sound sympathetic.

"Yup. You know, you'd think it would stop once my stomach was empty, I mean I don't know where it finds all that stuff.", she said, obviously quite groggy. "We need an excuse for why I won't be there, how about you tell them my best friend had a baby and I went out to visit her?"

"Um, how about I use the whole 'don't ask, don't tell' thing. They'll never buy that. I'll get Sara and Doctor Robbins to help me steer clear of that subject."

"Ok hon. I need a nap. I'm only two weeks pregnant and I am already exhausted. Weird, huh?"

Greg kissed his wife on the forehead and got out of bed. He and Tara had been looking for houses the night befoe, so he continued where they left off while Tara slept.

* * *

The Banquet

* * *

Grissom had arranged to meet Sara at the banquet hall. He arrived at the doorway to 'The Willow' and he stepped inside the glass double doors. It was a very nice place. Golden oak trim, cream colored walls, burgandy colored carpet. The lobby had a burgandy couch set and chair, which Greg and Dr. Robbins were sitting on. Greg waved cheerfully and Grissom chuckled to himself at seeing Greg Sanders in a suit and tie. Catherne scared Grissom out of his trance as she complimented his jet black suit. She looked very classy in her gold-colored silk gown. It had a high neckline, which was rare for Catherine, and it was completely backless. A halter dress. It touched the floor, and Grissom wondered to himself how women wore a floor length dress without constantly stepping on it. Nick and Warrick didn't bring dates, and it didn't look like they were having any luck getting the bartender's number, either. Jaqui and Archie went together, and Ecklie came alone, no surprise there. The day shift was a little unfamilliar to Grissom, but then he saw Sophia. She came over to Grissom and started to hit on him. But out of the corner of his eye, Grissom spotted Sara. She looked beautiful in her burgandy dress. He completely ignored Sophia's story as he turned and walked over to Sara. She smiled at him. He told her that she looked great, but he tried to make it sound classy and a little bit profesional.

When the dinner was served, all the night shift CSI's sat at one table, all the day shift's at another, and the lab tech's were scattered everywhere. Sara had come up with the perfect excuse to why Tara wasn't here. She told everyone that she thought she might have pink eye, and was staying clear of everyone else until she was sure she wasn't contagious. When no one was looking Doctor Robbins mouthed 'Good one Sara' to her. The whole night was a huge sucess. Grissom and Sara had flirted, making a little contact. Sara thought to herself, _one step forward,_. Catherine told some funny stories of her and Grissom's first cases together.

At the end of the night, Greg rushed home to Tara, to find her fast asleep on the bed with a book of baby names open on the side table. He smiled as he whispered good night to her and got ready for bed.


	34. This can't be happening

"This is rediculous. I am five months pregnant dammit. Nobody has even asked me about my weight. Not even Catherine!", Tara vented to Sara. Sara and Tara had become very close friends in the last two months. After Greg and Tara moved closer to the lab, and Sara's apartment, Sara came over often to check up on Tara.

"Maye they're just being polite? Or, maybe they never really get a good look at your belly, since you are always in the lab, usually behind a counter. They'll figure it out soon.", Sara inquired as Tara gave her a 'give-me-a-frickin-break' look. She shrugged and went into the kitchen to get Tara some more water. "When are you going to start taking off work more?", Sara asked as she poured Tara some water from the pitcher.

"I dunno. I guess when I start getting tired.", Tara winced a little as she said that. She had a cramp. _I must be hungry..._, thought Tara. "Hey Sar, you wanna grilled cheese sandwich?"

"No thanks. Not hungry. Shift starts in an hour anyway, and I gotta go change. I'll see ya at the lab, ok?"

"Okay.", Tara finished making and eating her lunch and grabbed her stuff for work.

* * *

She got to the lab, and Grissom was handing out assignment sheets. Greg winked at her and she smiled. She walked back into the lab and began to focus on her work.

* * *

She was looking at a website on motor oil that was found at a crime scene, when she felt something a little bit abnormal. She looked down at her lap to see something that definately shouldn't have been there.

_This can't be happening to me, to Greg. This can't be happening!_

She looked up and started to panic.

* * *

_My water just broke. I am only five months pregnant!_

She panicked more as she tried to think of someone who could help her get to the hospital safely. Only three people in this building knew, and she didn't want to tell someone who didn't, because they would want an explanation that she was _not_ in the mood to give.

_Ok, who knows? Greg, out on the feild, Sara, also out on the feild, and Doctor Robbins..._

"Dr. Robbins, Can you please report to the DNA lab, Dr. Robbins please report to the DNA lab.", Tara paged over to the morgue, trying not to cry.

A few minutes later a calm Doctor Robbins walked into the lab. "Yes Tara, did you need me for something?"

"Y-yes Dr. Robbins. M-my water j-just broke.", Tara stutterd, unable to hold tears in any longer.

Dr. Robbins switched into doctor mode. "Okay Tara. You are five months pregnant right?", she nodded. "Alright. I will call you an ambulence, you go get the extra pair of clothes out of your locker. I will have David call Greg. It'll be ok, Tara. Just stay calm. Can you do that?", Tara nodded and went to get her clothes. SHe was crying, and had a large wet stain on the back of her skirt. Luckily for her, she didn't run into anyone on her way to and from the lockers. When she got back to the lab, Dr. Robbins was waitng for her and led her out the back door of the morgue to the ambulence, knowing she wouldn't want any kind of attention.

"Greg? Howdy to you too, um we kind of have a situation down here at the lab.", David said to Greg when he called his cell.

"What kind of a suituation?", Greg said as he stood next to Nick looking at their victim. "She's having the baby? Are you insane? She's only five months pregnant!" Greg flipped out. "Yeah, I'll be right there!"

Nick turned to Greg and said "Is Tara pregnant?"

"Well, not anymore, let's roll."

Greg was in to much of a frenzy to drive, so Nick turned on the siren he had hooked up to his car and sped down to the hospital.


	35. The Baby: Part I

**I actually did a tidbit of research to make the medical information in this chapter as accurate as possible. But, remember, I am fourteen. I will be making some mistakes. I will have the next chapter up today.**

* * *

Greg and Nick walked into a few of the wrong rooms before they found the one the nurse directed them to. Tara was in a private 'suite' in the maternity wing of the hospital. There was a huge waiting room outside of her room, and the doctor had just finished giving her an exam. Greg told Nick to call everyone once they got to the hospital. The doctor led Greg into Tara's room where he sat on the edge of her bed, and held her shaking hand. The doctor then filled them in on Tara's condition.

* * *

"Tara is almost six months pregnant. 25 weeks, to be exact. At this point the baby can survive outside of the uterus, but with constant care. The amniotic sac ruptured prematurely, causing the body to react and go into labor. Tara's labor started soon after her water broke, and we have to deliver the baby. It has a 50 chance of of survival, so the odds are not against you. Because the baby is so early, we will need to monitor both you and the baby. I will be back in a few moments to check up.", the doctor said calmly as Tara wept.

Nick paced back and forth in the waiting room as he waited for everyone else to arrive. When they did, they were confused as to why they were there, because Nick hadn't told them why on the phone. Greg came out of Tara's room to telk to everyone and he had clearly been crying.

"Guys, Tara was waiting for you to ask before she told you, but now is a good a time as any. Tara is 25 weeks pregnant. And, the reason we're here, is, she went into 'premature labor'.", Greg announced as he wiped his eyes and shuddered. Ctherine came up to hug him, and as she did, she whispered 'congratulations' in his ear. He whispered 'thanks' back to her and he sat down to give them details.

* * *

Tara laid in the bed, waiting for everyone to come in and make a fuss. She sighed and rolled her head over on it's side. She was already really tired, and she didn't know if she had the strength to deliver right now. She was startled a little when the door opened and half a dozen happyCSI's came in. She got hugs from each of them, and they all chatted a little to try to cheer her up and lighten the mood. All of a sudden she bolted upright and winced in pain while holding her abdomen. Greg pressed the call button on her bed, and the obstetrician showed up and asked everyone but the father to leave the room. Tara laid back down, sweaty, tired, and sore and the doctor examined her blood pressure, vital signs, and hooked up an IV.

"You will be ready to deliver soon, Tara. I am going to move you into the delivery room now."


	36. The Baby: Part II

Tara's sweaty head fell back onto the hospital pillow as her equally sweaty chest heaved up and down. She looked up at Greg, who, at that point, was in a whole other world.

"It's a boy!", the doctor cheered as he handed the baby to the first nurse who cleaned up the baby and gave it to the second nurse.

She weighed him, and reported, "Five pounds, six ounces.", then handed him back to the awaiting doctor.

"He-he's so small. Will he be okay?", Tara whispered hoarsely. She didn't even have the energy left to speak loudly. Greg just gawked at the baby with his mouth open, while he held Tara's hand tightly.

"Like I said earlier, the odds that he will survive are fifty-fifty. We'll know more by tomorrow, so right now you can hold him and your friends can come see him. Oh, do you have a name for him yet?", Tara shook her head and reached out to hold her new son. Greg sat there and stared at him.

"Greg? Greg, you in there?", Tara asked her husband, a litlle concerned.. Greg looked at her, his mouth still open, and nodded. He still couln't connect his brain to his mouth. All the CSI's came in at that point and Catherine squealed excitedly when she saw the tiny little baby boy fussing in Tara's arms.

"He's so cute! I can't belive Greg is a _father_. If someone told me a year ago that Greg would be a husband, and a father, I would have cracked up.", Catherine said, and everyone around her laughed in agreement. Nick tried to come up with names, and each time Tara turned them down. When all of the name suggesting ended, Greg looked over to Catherine.

Catherine looked at the slightly annoyed look in Greg's eyes, and she got the hint right away. "Alright, I think these two might want a little alone time with their new son. Let's go people!", she herded everyone out as they craned their necks to get one last look at the tiny baby.

Tara looked up at Greg affectionately. "Do you wanna hold him?", she asked, and he smiled and reached out to scoop up the baby as gently as possible. He beamed with joy as he held his son's fragile little hand. He was in pure awe. _I have a son!_ For the first time since Tara was moved into the delivery room, Greg found his voice and spoke.

"Eric.", he said abruptly, shifting his loving gaze from his son to his wife.

"Eric? Who is Eric?", Tara said, returing his loving gaze.

"Our son.", Greg said as he smiled at Tara.


	37. A life all it's own

"Eric. Honey, I love it." Tara said. The doctor came in once more and asked for the baby. Tara handed him over, and the doctor inserted an IV and put him in an incubator. He would be in one for three more weeks.

Tara and Greg held hands and gazed into each other's eyes. Grissom and Sara were slowly but surely building a relationship. Catherine was promoted. Warrick was promoted also. Nick got a steady girlfriend. All was good with the CSI's of Las Vegas.

"Nick, Warrick, we got a 426 outside the strip.", Grissom said, hanging up his cell. The two filed out and they left the hospital.

THE END

* * *

Shortest chapter EVER. It's over! I am making a sequel-thing-a-ma-jig.


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